Another Place and Time
by pirate88
Summary: Three friends embark on the adventure of a lifetime when their "pirate-cruise" becomes more real than they had expected. Will this journey save their friendship or leave them in Davy Jones's Locker? Post AWE.
1. The Best of Friends

They all unsheathed their swords and gazed at the giant English ship as it slowly approached their own.

"You guys nervous?" Tony asked. Karen looked over at Josh and he looked back. They smiled at each other.

"No." Karen said simply.

"Me neither." Josh added. They all stood poised now as the other ship began to line up with theirs. They could see the English Guard donned in their bright red uniforms. How scruffy they felt in comparison. They other ship continued to slide closer. Just then the friends heard "FIRE!" from below deck. With that the booming sound of the cannons could be heard. The friends all jumped slightly. They were not particularly focused on that, however. Instead, they were looking across the gap at the English guard who were preparing grappling hooks.

"Prepare to be boarded!" Jack shouted from the upper deck. No sooner had he said this, came the overwhelming number of grappling hooks flying through the air and catching on all parts of the rigging, shrouds, and railings. The crew all readied their rifles and pistols.

"Hold!" Jack called, arm raised in the air. The English guardsmen all leapt from their own railing and went swinging across the gap.

"FIRE!" Jack shouted, dropping his arm. BANG, BANG, BANG. Only about half of the Guards made it across the gap. The ones who did make it were upon the pirates instantly. Some of the pirates ran along the railing cutting the ropes of the grappling hooks. Josh and Karen had drawn their swords and were doing their best to stave off as many Guards as they could. So many English Guards were now upon them and it seemed as though this was a battle that wouldn't be won.

* * *

They had all been friends for as long as they could remember. They had grown up on the same street, went to the same schools, and they were together all the time. Through all of their trials in school and general life, they had become the best of friends and they shared a bond that was like none that any of them had ever known. Their names were Josh Davis, Karen McCleod, and Tony MacMullen. Josh and Tony had met each other before they met Karen. That was, of course, back in the days where "no girls were allowed" and cooties were an epidemic. However, Karen was really not like the other girls at their school. When the other girls were all playing dolls and dress-up, Karen opted for a football or a good mud-puddle. For this, she was rejected by many of the other girls. She never complained about it, but anyone around her could tell that she was lonely. One day as the young boys all rushed to the football field at recess, Josh noticed Karen sitting on the side-lines ready to watch the game just like any other day. Josh walked over to her.

"Do you wanna play?" he asked with a smile. She looked unsure at first, but then a smile met her lips.

"Do I ever!" she exclaimed as she stood up and raced onto the field. The game surged on. Tie game. Only seconds before the bell sounded to come inside. Time enough for one last snap. Josh, who was playing quarterback, shot a look over at Karen. She had proven that she was quick. Quick enough to burn the bigger boy across from her. He gave her a nod.

"DOWN! SET!..." Karen looked into the eyes of the boy across from her. Boy, he was big. Too big. She smiled, cockily at him. He looked surprised. She winked.

"HUT!" Josh called, and with that Karen was off like a shot. She ran the slant right past her defender. Josh delivered a perfect pass as Karen was bolting for the end-zone. Josh had led Karen with the pass. Too much? Maybe. No one could tell. It would be close. Karen sprinted as the ball was making its descent. The boys all looked on hopefully. Karen dove across the goal line and stretched out her arms. THUD. The boys watched her hit the ground. Had she caught it? They couldn't see. She stood up and brushed herself off. Then, she turned and held the ball high in the air. The boys on her team all cheered as the other boys stomped their feet and threw temper tantrums. Karen started to jog back to her team. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony, who had also been on Karen's team noticed that the biggest boy was making his way towards Karen and he didn't look happy. Tony tapped Josh on the shoulder and they both started towards Karen. The bigger boy got to her first. With a sharp shove he sent her crashing to the ground. Tony and Josh began to run. Karen sprang up and shoved the boy back, yelling at him. It surprised Josh and Tony to see her do this. She was so much smaller than him, yet she was acting as though she were eleven feet tall. They could just make out the last part of her sentence as they neared the two.

"…just 'cause you're too slow to keep up with a girl!" she yelled. With that the bigger boy tackled Karen to the ground. The two rolled around hitting each other whenever they were able.

"FIGHT!" called one of the younger boys as all the children rushed to gather around. Karen had found her way on top and was now simply hitting the bully rapid fire. Josh and Tony reached her and grabbed her arms. They pried her off of the boy and pulled her back. They were trying to get her to calm down when the bully spoke again.

"How about you go and cook or something, like a normal girl!" he taunted, wiping a bloody lip. Karen tried harder to rip herself away from Josh and Tony's grip. Tony stepped forward.

"Shut up, Nelson! Karen's better than a normal girl!" he said, loudly. Karen stopped struggling.

"Yeah!" agreed Josh, stepping forward as well.

"What do you two have a little crush on her or something?" Nelson asked. There was a cacophony of "oohs" from the crowd of children. "How could anyone ever have a crush on _that_?" Nelson asked gesturing at Karen. She was about to charge him, but before she got the chance Josh and Tony were already on top of Nelson giving him what for.

"Break it up!" yelled one of the teachers, as he made his way to the center of the crowd. The children scattered except for Karen, Josh, Tony, and Nelson who seemed frozen. "All of you come with me!" the teacher ordered.

They were all a mess. Nelson had been taken to another room and Josh, Karen, and Tony all sat now in the principal's office. The principal was not there yet. They sat in silence. Finally, Josh spoke.

"Are you alright, Karen?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How are you guys?" she asked. They were both fine. "Guys…um. Thanks for…well, you know."

"He was wrong to say those things, Karen." Tony remarked.

"I know." She replied. "But it would have been pretty easy for you guys to walk away, too. So, you know…thanks." The boys both smiled.

"Nice catch, by the way." Josh remarked.

"Yeah, that was the best!" Tony added.

"Thanks, guys." Karen answered. The three all started regaling the event all the while laughing and smiling. It wasn't until the door creaked open that they remembered where they were. The principal strolled in and sat behind his giant desk. The children all sat and gazed up at him with fear all over their faces.

"What do you three have to say for yourselves?" he asked. The three instantly started telling their own story creating senseless noise in the office.

"HOLD IT!" the principal shouted above the unintelligible racket. "One at a time."

"Sir," Karen started. "These guys didn't do anything wrong. They were just standing up for me. If you have to punish someone…it should be me, not them."

The principal sat back in his chair and looked at Karen, seemingly amazed. The boys' jaws hung open at what they had just heard. It was quiet in the room for what seemed like forever. Finally the principal spoke again.

"Boys. Can you step outside for me, please?" he asked, in a much warmer tone than before. They both looked at Karen and then back at the principal, confused. "It's okay, boys, this'll just take a minute."

The boys left the room and shut the door behind them. Karen looked at the principal awaiting her punishment.

"Karen, you know that fighting is wrong, don't you?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." She replied, lowering her eyes.

"And you know that you could really hurt someone, right?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." She replied, trying to hold back tears. The principal just looked at her for a moment.

"Well, seeing as how you know that, I don't see any problem with just giving you a warning." He said. Karen sat up, shocked.

"What?" she asked.

"You're a good kid, Karen. I can see that. Nelson's a bully. I can see that, too. I'm sure you had a good reason for popping him the way you did. Plus, some other kids told me that he started it." He said. Karen just sat there for a moment, stunned. "You can go back to class now, Karen and tell the boys that they can leave, too."

Karen slid out of the giant chair and made her way for the door. She was stopped.

"Oh, and Karen?" the principal said. Karen turned around. "That was a very brave thing you did, trying to get those boys off the hook. You must really be good friends."

"Yeah, I guess we are." She replied as she left the office. The boys both stood up as she came out of the room.

"What happened?" they asked.

"We can all go." She replied with a grin. They all got outside of the office and Karen told the boys what the principal had said. They walked together back to their classes. Tony had walked into his room leaving Josh and Karen walking together. They stopped outside of Josh's class. Before walking in, Josh turned back to Karen.

"Do you wanna play with us again tomorrow?" he asked, with a hopeful smile.

"Sure." She replied grinning back. They both just stood there for a moment as a awkward silence filled the gap.

"Well…I, uh, better get in there." Josh said.

"Yeah, yeah. You should." Karen replied, quickly.

"So, see ya." He said.

"Bye." Karen said as he disappeared into the room. And she did play with them the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that. When they had outgrown playing, the three went to movies and walked home together. They had all grown up and they grew differently. Tony was on student council and played on the hockey team. Josh was quarterback on the football team and loved to play video games. Karen had somewhat grown out of her tomboy phase, but she still played basketball for the school and she was on the student council with Tony. They had grown into different people, but they remained as close as ever.

They all held each other close out on the school's lawn.

"I can't believe this is it." Josh said, taking his graduation cap off and looking at it.

"I know. Just look at us." Karen said, gesturing at their gowns.

"What happens now?" Tony asked. "It might be a long time before we see each other once school starts."

They all looked at each other hoping that the other had an answer. None of them did. They all knew it was true. The carefree days of high school were behind them now and college was coming in fast. None of them were going to the same school. They all had to go where the money was for them. That just happened to be three different places.

"We are always gonna be friends." Karen said, full of conviction.

"That's right." Josh agreed. "No matter how many miles they put between us, nothing can split us up…nothing."

They all smiled at each other. Tony was first to snap out of it.

"Let's not get all sappy." He chimed in. "Right now, it's time to 'celebrate good times, come on.'"

They all laughed.

"Hey, Dream Team!" Josh's dad called. They all turned around. "Get close!" he said, presenting his camera. They all put their arms around each other and smiled. FLASH.

Karen set the picture back down on her desk as she tried to get back to work on her term paper. It had been a long time since she had seen those guys. She missed them terribly. Sure, she had made lots of new friends at college, but none of them were quite the same as the Dream Team. She had to try to get in touch with them over spring break which was quickly approaching. Just then the phone rang.

"Hello." She answered.

"Guess who." he asked.

"Oh my God, Josh?" she asked.

"None other!" Josh replied.

"Oh man! How are you?" she asked, wishing she could hug him over the phone.

"Not bad at all. How have you been" he asked.

"Great. I was just thinking about you and Tony. That is so weird." She exclaimed. "How is Tony? Have you talked to him lately?"

"Talked to who?" came another voice.

"Tony, is that you?" Karen asked. They were on three-way calling.

"And who else did you expect?" he asked. All three of them laughed. It had been a good five months since they had last spoken. It was good to hear each other again.

"Guys, listen up." Josh said. "I just found this ad for a pirate cruise. Have you ever heard of that?"

"Not really." Karen replied.

"Nope." Said Tony.

"It's where you go and you live like a frickin' pirate for a week. You don't have to dress up or anything, but you get to sail the ship and climb all on the rigging and everything. It'll be on an authentic pirate ship. They even teach you how to swordfight and shit. So I was thinking that we should go for it." Josh explained. Karen and Tony's eyes lit up. Before the three had separated they had seen POTC2 and become instant fans. Now they had a chance to do that kind of stuff. How awesome.

"I trust there'll be rum." Tony asked. The three laughed.

"Well, this _is_ for college students so I'm sure!" Josh replied.

"I'm in!" Tony exclaimed.

"How about you, Karen?" Josh asked,

"Yeah, I'll go. Hell, it sounds like a lot of fun." She said.

"Sweet! I'll make the reservations. It'll be really good to see you all again." Josh said.

"Yeah, it will." Karen said.

"Superfriends, unite!" Tony exclaimed. They all laughed. It slowly died away.

"It's really good to laugh with you guys again. I've really missed you." Karen said.

"That's why it'll be that much better to go on this trip." Tony said.

"That's right." Josh said.

"You guys are right. Well, I better get back to work. Josh call me with the details when you get 'em alright?"

"Will do." Josh agreed. "Have a good night, Karen."

"Thanks. You guys do the same." Karen replied.

"See ya." Tony called.

"Bye." Karen said before hanging up the phone. A pirate cruise. What a blast. Karen closed out of her term paper and Googled pirate lingo. She wanted to be ready. Most of all, she could barely wait to see the guys again. She never knew just how much she would miss them until they were gone. They had been such a big part of her for so long and since they had been apart, it seemed that she had lost that piece. She was ready to find it again.

Across the state, Josh took one last look at the picture on his bedside table. Karen, Tony and him. What a team they had made. Thinking of all their exploits made him smile. He grinned as he flipped off his light and went to sleep.


	2. A Pirate's Life

The last week and a half of school dragged on for all of them. It was one of those "takes longer to get there than to get home" situations. Finally the day was here. They all drove to the port where they were supposed to meet. Karen got out of her car and began searching the crowd for her two friends. She went to shut the door and was surprised when it didn't make a sound. She turned around and there was Josh holding the door open. A smile met her lips and grew wider and wider until it could grow no more.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked with a grin.

"I don't think so." She replied returning the smile. He bent over into her car and grabbed the keys out of the cup-holder.

"Still locking your keys in your car, McCleod?" he asked, tossing them to her.

"Well, I guess I am a little distracted today." She said breaking into a hug. He returned it. They stayed that way for a long time. Neither wanted to let go for the fear that the other might go away again.

"It's so good to see you! You look great!" Karen said, still hugging him.

"You, too." He said, stepping back. They just looked at each other for a moment. Neither of them noticed Tony. He came up beside them and gathered them both into a group hug.

"GROUPIE!" he shouted. They returned the hug and they all just stood there for a moment.

"Guys, I am so excited. This is gonna be great." Karen exclaimed.

"I know. We'd better get going or we might miss the boat." Tony said.

They all walked up the gangplank. They had been told to bring no more than a backpack of supplies and that's what they all had. The ship looked like something straight out of a movie. All kinds of ropes and rigging hung from every yardarm and the white sails flapped in the wind begging for the anchor to be raised. Josh, Karen, and Tony took their place in the crowd of college students. This looked so real. The crew members all went about their work talking like pirates and working on the ship. The three friends half expected Captain Jack himself to step out at any moment. The crew all stopped in their tracks as the captain appeared on the upper deck.

"AVAST!" he shouted.

The students seemed frozen as well.

"Welcome aboard the 'Gypsy's Treasure!'" the captain called. The three friends all exchanged excited glances at one another. They were all geeked.

"Ye'll not be gettin' a free ride this week. Ye scallywags _will_ do yer part in the runnin' of me lovely ship. So are ye willin, to risk life and limb to become a pirate for this week?" he called. None of the students knew what to say. Tony stepped forward.

"AYE!" he yelled, followed by the rest of the students as they all pumped their fists into the air. The rest of that day was all about learning the essentials. How to work, how to talk, and how to fight. It was all that the friends had hoped it would be. The captain had even named Karen first mate of the day since she had beaten everyone with a sword. That night was even better. It was a celebration of throwing law to the wind and taking on the pirate way of life. They all ate, drank, told stories, and shared a round of "yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirates life for me." That may as well have been a requirement. The party had died down by about midnight. Tony, Karen, and Josh stayed up and talked for a very long time. They caught up and laughed just like they used to. They gazed up at the stars.

"Guys, do you ever feel like there's something more for us out there?" Karen asked.

"I think we drank it all." Tony said. The three laughed.

"No. No, I mean do you ever feel like we were put where we are for a reason? Or that maybe we're friends for a reason?" Karen asked.

"I guess I've never thought about it." Josh said.

"I have. I feel like we are together to do something great." She said.

"Like what?" Tony asked.

"I don't know. I can just feel it." She said. There was a silence that seemed to last for a long time. Tony stood up.

"And on that note, I think we should be getting to bed. We got another great day of piracy ahead of us, ya know." He said. Karen and Josh stood up and followed him to the crew quarters. They climbed wearily into their hammocks. Just as Karen was climbing into hers, one of the floor boards flipped up revealing a hole in the floor. Karen almost fell down. Josh caught her.

"Woah, can I get you another there, Sparky?" he whispered through a laugh.

"I'm not drunk. I think I stepped in a hole or something." She said. The peered into the dark at where the hole should be. They couldn't see a thing.

"Tony." Josh whispered.

"Yeah?" Tony asked.

"Bring that lantern over here." Josh said. Tony did so and they all looked at the hole.

"I told you!" Karen said. "Wait, what's that?"

They all looked a little harder. It looked like there was something in the hole. Josh reached in and pulled out what looked like a little note that was all rolled up. The friends all leaned in close as Josh opened it and read.

"Dear Pirates, you have never heard of me so I won't bother you with my name. All you need to know is that this is my final dying wish. I have seen you all in my dreams and know of your plight…" Josh read.

"Plight?" Tony asked.

"Shh!" Karen spat. "Keep going, Josh. W-What does it say next?"

"…and know of your plight." Josh continued. "You are all facing a time where you realize that continuing your friendship will be very difficult if not impossible. I have seen your love for each other and it is one of the strongest have ere seen. I don't want to see that die. I beg you all to grant my final wish in the form of this journey. All you must do is recite this incantation and you will all share an adventure that will set the bond you have in stone forever. It would be unfair of me not to warn you that, should you decide to partake in this journey, the danger will be very real. It will not be a simple dream that you can wake up from. You will be thrust into a real world of peril and what you do to fight that is up to you. It would be wrong of me to force you all into this, but I do ask from the deepest place in my heart. The love I have seen from you has given me the hope to stay alive for as long as I have. I don't want to see that snuffed out. I beg you…embark on this journey, take this adventure. I promise you will all find what you are looking for. Always, R." As Josh read the last word, a wind from nowhere swept through the cabin and blew out the lantern. Tony quickly pulled out his lighter and re-lit it.

"Oh my God." Karen said under her breath. They were all trembling.

"There's no way that's real." said Tony.

"It looks real to me." Josh replied.

"Wh-What should we do?" Karen asked.

"I don't know." Josh said. They all just sat and thought for a long time, trying to think of a next move. Finally Karen spoke.

"Guys, this might sound crazy, but I think we should give this a try." she suggested.

"That _does _sound crazy." Tony said, for once, totally serious.

"Come on. Just a minute ago you were saying that there was no way this was real. If that's true you should have no problem with this." Karen argued.

"I don't know what to think about this, allright. All I know is that three college kids, reciting chants on a creepy, haunted old ship is the way frickin' horror movies start and I am freakin' out that we even found that shit!" Tony said, nervously.

"This does sound kinda creepy, Kar." Josh admitted. "I mean the guy in that note seemed to really know us."

"Which is all the more reason to do this!" she insisted, raising her voice.

"SHH!" the boys hissed.

"Do you remember when I was saying that we were meant for more? Well, guys, I think this is it! We are never going to get another chance at this. I just feel like we _are_ drifting apart. This guy, he wants to stop that from happening. Don't you?" she asked, tears welling in her eyes. They both stared at her. They had never seen her cry before. Her voice cracked as she spoke again. "I…I just…I don't wanna lose you two."

Josh looked at Karen and felt like he was about to cry, too. It killed him to see her this way. Plus, he knew that her fear was not unfounded. In just their first year of college they had already gone months without speaking. Who knows what would happen in another year. Another two. Three. He reached over and took her hand.

"I'll do it, Karen." He said. She smiled, wiping away her tears. She hugged him. "What about you, Tony?"

Tony looked back and forth between the two of them. He thought of his job. He had worked at a supermarket day in day out ever since he had gotten to school. His life had become horrible monotonous and dull. He needed some spice to keep himself going. He needed this now, more than ever.

"Well I guess someone's gotta keep watch on you kiddies." Tony said. "What do we have to do?"

Karen shot Tony a smile before looking at the note.

"It says something about 'the incantation', but I don't see any…wait, here!" Karen exclaimed as she found it. It had been on the back of the note. "You guys ready?"

They nodded. They all began to read.

"A world of danger, a world of crime. Another place, another time. Just for those souls that have been one, be they not parted 'till life is done. To test their alliance and make them see, that never alone will they ever be. So to another place they go, to find a friendship they not yet know." The wind from nowhere came back as they read the final part. "And should they make it as a team, they will have that of which we all do dream. A bond of stone without and end, to each a brother, and each a friend. So adventure on brave pirate friends, and pray you do not meet your ends!" The wind blew the candle out again and then stopped all together. Pitch black now. They couldn't see each other. They sat in silence. All each of them could hear was they others' breathing.

"Di-Did anything happen?" Tony asked, shaken.

"I don't know." Josh said. Karen are you alright.

"Oh shit." She said, strained.

"What is it?" Josh and Tony asked at the same time.

"I feel like I am gonna ralph." She said. The boys heard her stand up and run for the door. Her silhouette was visible only for a moment before she disappeared onto the main deck. She bolted for the railing and no soon had she gotten there, she was revisited by the ham and potatoes that they had had for dinner. To add insult to injury, as she was vomiting she thought about the fact that nothing had happened after they had read the incantation. They were still on the same ship and the same ocean in the same boring world. Why had she believed in that stupid note? Some other kid had probably just left it there as a joke. She felt like such an idiot.

"Bad night of drinkin' there, lass?" she heard from behind her. She turned to see who it was. She stared at him for a moment and couldn't tell who it was. The lantern he held was at his side.

"I asked if ye had a bit too much." The man said. He held the lantern high up over his now revealing the rest of his body. Those clothes, that beard, that face. Karen would know it anywhere.

"Holy shit." She exclaimed, unable to comprehend what she was seeing.

"What's yer name, lass?" he asked.

"Karen McCleod. Wha…" she had to stop for a moment. Was she dreaming? The vomity taste in her mouth told her she was not. But as she looked at the man, she couldn't believe what she saw. She had to know if this was real.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Ye don't know?" he asked, offended.

"I think I might." She said, shakily.

"Well lass, first I'd like to reprimand ye for sneaking onto a man's ship without even knowin' his name." he scolded.

"B-But I didn't sneak - -" She was cut off as the man shot a finger in the air that told her to bite her tongue.

"Next, since ye don't know me I guess I must introduce myself…" he started.

Karen's heart pounded. Was it…was it really…?

"Captain Jack Sparrow, at your service." He said taking a bow. Karen had to hold herself up on the rail as her knees buckled. It was really him.


	3. Another Place, Another Time

I don't own anything. I am broke.

* * *

She only gazed at him for a moment, jaw agape. He stood from his bow and approached her. As the light more completely engulfed her, he too stared quizzically at her. Her clothing was unlike any he had ever seen and she was staring at him as if he were some sort of a god. The last time he checked, he was about as far from that as a person could be. Neither of them knew what to say. Karen finally broke the silence.

"D-Did you say…Jack Sparrow?" she stammered.

"I did." He said, hovering over her now. He was quite a bit taller than she had expected. "Why do ye stare at me that way, lass?"

"Y-You…wow, you're, I-I can't, oh man…I…" she stopped abruptly and looked surprised for a moment. She then whirled around and once again doubled over the rail of the ship. Jack only stood there, further examining the young girl's appearance. She wore a simple pair of jeans and a pink t-shirt, but to him each article was fascinating. Where on earth did she get clothes like that? When Karen had finished, she turned around again, half hoping that what she had seen was a hallucination. She was met again with the confused gaze of Captain Jack himself. This time he spoke first.

"Young ladies such as yourself shouldn't be drinkin'. Let alone drinkin' more than they can handle." He observed, gesturing to the side of the boat.

"I haven't been drinking. I'm not old enough." She said, becoming more comfortable with the pirate in front of her.

"Not old enough? How old _are_ ye, lass? Ye must be at least seventeen." He suggested in a mocking tone.

"Eighteen." She corrected, slightly offended that Jack Sparrow had the nerve to make fun of _her._

"And ye never had a drink?" he asked, chuckling now.

"No, I haven't." Karen said, becoming more annoyed by the second. Karen had never been a big partier in high school. She simply had too much to lose. If she got caught at a party, she knew that she would be kicked out of every club and essentially lose all she had worked for. Now this pirate was making fun of that.

"Then I take it back. You, young lady, _should_ be drinkin'. Ye got a lot of catching up to do." He said with a hearty laugh. His laughter died away and his look shifted again to her.

"How did ye get onto my ship?" he said in a slightly more serious tone. Karen searched for an answer. How was she going to explain this?

"Holy shit, it's Johnny Depp!" they both heard from behind Jack. It was Josh and Tony who had thought it best to give Karen a few minutes of privacy and now were on the deck to make sure she was okay.

"Friends of yours, poppet?" Jack asked, relatively unconcerned. The boys began to walk quickly towards the two of them. Jack's eyes widened. He drew his pistol and pointed it at Karen. "A bit of space if ye don't mind, gentlemen." Josh and Tony stopped and laughed, but as they looked at Karen they realized that the situation wasn't one to be laughed at. She was frozen with fear as she stared down the barrel of Jack's pistol. They very fact that he now had her at gunpoint surprised her. Up until now, Jack had seemed fairly friendly to her. Typical pirate.

"Karen, what the hell is this?" Josh asked, gesturing at the man that he was sure was an imposter. He was still unsure of whether or not this was a joke.

"Guys…this is Captain Jack Sparrow." She said, in a low tone.

"Yeah, sure it is." Tony scoffed, with a grin. Karen's facial expression didn't change. Tony noticed this and his grin was gone as quickly as it had come.

"Karen, is that real?" Josh asked, gesturing at Jack's pistol. She was too afraid to speak anymore. She only nodded.

"Oh my God." Josh said. Who this guy was didn't matter anymore. All that mattered now was that he had a gun. A real gun. Josh didn't know what to do.

"I believe I asked for a bit of room." Jack reminded, clicking the hammer back on the pistol. Josh and Tony obeyed now, eyes growing as wide a Karen's. Jack walked over beside her and leaned on the railing next to her. She was too afraid to look over at him. He seemed very relaxed despite the serious situation. Yet, as relaxed as he seemed, he kept the pistol trained on Karen as he spoke.

"So, Love, who are these two strapping young lads?" he asked, almost as if nothing was amiss at all. Karen looked at him.

"Th-They're m-my friends." She managed.

"Ahh, I see. Are they little stowaways like you?" he asked.

"No, Jack. I'm tryin' to tell you--" she started.

"I think ye best tell em' what's what before that big one on the left decides to do something stupid." Jack suggested. He was gesturing at Josh. Karen hadn't noticed, but Josh's face was growing angrier by the second. She had to say something.

"Guys, relax." She tried. They seemed to snap out of some trance as she spoke to them. They still looked very angry.

"Go on." Jack urged.

"Tony, Josh. I want to tell you something and I want you to promise to believe me." She said.

"Sure Karen." Tony replied.

"Guys…this _is _Jack Sparrow." She said, completely serious.

"Captain." Jack added from behind her. She gave the boys a suggestive, told-ya-so look.

"Right, sorry." She said. "This is _Captain _Jack Sparrow."

"Karen, wha- are you serious?" Josh asked. She nodded with the utmost seriousness.

"Now listen." She started again, addressing all of them. "No one wants to hurt anyone here. I think we all need to calm down, pinch of the testosterone valves for a minute and chill. Josh, Tony…come over here and shake Jack's hand." The boys started forward. Jack extended the pistol towards them. They stopped.

"Jack, put it down. They just want to meet you. W-We all do." Karen explained. Jack looked at all of them for a moment. He didn't trust very easily, but upon second glance, he didn't really think that these jokers posed much of a threat. He lowered his gun. The boys walked forward. So did Jack. When they became close enough, the three men didn't shake hands. In all honesty, they had all forgotten. They had become so preoccupied with looking at each other that they just stood there and stared. Each looked extremely odd to the other. All of a sudden, a shot rang out from another area of the deck. The three friends sprang together as Jack jumped in the other direction. A shorter man came out of the shadows, pistol aimed at the "stowaways."

"Who in the bloody hell are these scrawny little things, Jack?" the man asked. The three friends all instinctively held each other close and their panicked bodies wouldn't allow them to let go. This man's face and dress were as familiar as Jack's.

"Mr. Gibbs?" Tony asked. The man looked shocked.

"How do ye know who I am, lad?" he asked, eying the strange looking group. Mr. Gibbs began to move towards them as Jack moved with him. The three friends took cautious steps backwards. Josh spoke for Tony.

"Well, it's…uh…it's kind of hard to explain." He started.

"Well, ye best start explaining." Gibbs replied gesturing to his gun. The three friends made contact with the rail of the ship and could back up no further. Josh stepped forward slightly. Gibbs's pistol was very close to his chest now. Less than a foot. He tried not to look at it as he began.

"See, w-we found this note, by some dead guy, and h-he said that we'd be in for an adventure if we read this thing and we did and here we are." Josh said with increasing speed as he went. Behind him and out of sight of the two pirates, Karen had bumped into a few old swords that had been leaned into a corner. She slowly grabbed one and held it slightly behind her back.

"That is the biggest load of horse shit I have ever heard." Gibbs said as Josh finished. "I do believe it's time for you three to deboard." Gibbs pointed the pointing the pistol now at Josh's face. He didn't even bat an eye as he prepared to do the unthinkable. Just then, he was met by a quick, sharp pain in his forearm that made him drop his gun. He'd been blidsided by a sword. Karen's sword. Karen stepped out in front of her friends as Jack drew his sword. He lunged at her with a stabbing motion, but she slid out of the way at the last second and slashed Jack's sword away from her. To Karen, this whole thing seemed to move in slow motion. To Josh and Tony and the rest of the world it was only a few seconds. Jack slashed down at Karen and she blocked expertly. She shoved his blade up into the air and took a swipe at his torso. He leaped back at the last second. The two blades met quickly three more times as the two swordsmen took up a more civilized fighting stance. As they crossed steel the third time, they each held the cross and circled each other. Josh and Tony watched in awe as the two fighters stood silhouetted in the moonlight.

"That took a lot of brass, Love." Jack said, charmingly.

"Loyalty means something to _me_." Karen spat, nearly forgetting who she was speaking to.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Jack asked, feigning shock.

"It means that I don't just run away from my problems." She replied, quickly. Jack cocked his head to one side.

"And ye think I do?" he asked. With this, he took another swing at Karen's side. She blocked. She twirled her sword as she extended her arm. She and Jack's swords now seemed locked together and as their arms extended, their bodies came within inches of one another. It almost looked like a dance. They were now standing chest to chest. Karen looked up at Jack's face. She looked deep into his eyes.

"I _know_ you do." She said, in a low tone. She placed a hand on his chest and shoved him backwards. He stumbled and fell backwards being held up now only by the mast. Karen used this to her advantage as she charged him. She slashed, not at Jack, but at his sword. She hit it with such force that he now held it out far away from his body with his arm totally exposed. Jack knew he was about to lose his arm. He knew he wouldn't be able to move quickly enough to avoid this last blow. With one last great downward swipe, he could feel time slow down. He closed his eyes now and just waited for the pain to come. _Just wait now. Just wait. Not long now. My God, what is taking so long?_ Jack slowly opened one eye to peek at the status of his limb. Then he opened the other eye, unable to comprehend what he thought he saw. Above him stood Karen, and no more than an inch above his arm was her sword. He looked at it for a moment then up at her. She was staring right at him breathing heavily. With one last sigh she lifted the blade away from Jack's arm and held it at her side. She extended her other hand to help Jack up from his leaning position on the mast.

"We'd better be more careful. Someone could really get hurt playing like that." She said, her voice filled with mockery. Jack only looked at her extended hand for a moment, confused. Had he just been bested by that little stowaway? Had _she _just been forced to show _him _mercy? He took her hand and she pulled him up. He brushed off his jacket and sheathed his sword. He looked down at the little thing that had just beaten him. Karen looked up at him with a cocky little grin. Had she just bested Captain Jack Sparrow? She wouldn't be standing here if she hadn't. Maybe now he'd listen to her. The next instant Karen's insides seemed to go ice cold. She felt cold metal press against the back of her neck and she heard a hammer click to its cocked position.

"Drop it, Child." Came a female voice from behind her. Karen wanted to drop her sword but it was almost as if her hand was no longer connected to her brain. She froze. The metal pushed a little harder.

"Are ye deaf, Girl? I said 'drop it.'" The voice came again. This time Karen dropped the sword, much to her own relief. Karen looked up at Jack, her eyed begging him to help her. He only looked back with a blank expression. The pressure on her neck lessened slightly as the voice spoke once more.

"Turn around real slowly now, lass." The voice ordered. Although Karen knew that the voice was extremely serious about this command, the voice seemed strangely calm. Without even realizing she was doing it, Karen did turn around to see and entire crew that had assembled on the main deck. Lanterns lit the scene up just enough to see the faces of the crew. They all stared at her with unreadable facial expressions. She searched the crowd more extensively and what she saw made her heart begin to race. Actually, what she _didn't _see scared her more. Josh and Tony. Where were they? She couldn't find them. She focused her attention now on the woman in front of her. Her concern for Josh and Tony was so great that she didn't even notice the pistol pointed at her chest. The dark-haired woman across from her was Ana-Maria. She knew it. She had no time to be spellbound by this phenomenon right now, however.

"Wh-Where are my friends?" Karen asked.

"If I were you I would be more concerned about myself at this point." Ana-Maria suggested. The crew laughed.

"Well, last time I checked, you weren't me! **Where are my friends?**" Karen said, raising her voice, eyes filling with tears. Ana-Maria's face was suddenly filled with hurt and sadness. While this child had tried to killed Jack from what she could see, she seemed genuinely concerned about her friends. This killer had a heart. Ana-Maria took a second look at the girl. Still only a child. Still filled with innocence, hope, and idealism. So full of confidence that she had dared _yell _at her in front of the entire crew. Now Ana-Maria was about to snuff that out. She felt horrible. Still, she had a duty to Jack. He _was _still her captain. She whispered now, so the crew could not hear.

"Ye needn't worry about anything anymore, Lass." She whispered, sadly. "It'll be quick. It won't hurt."

"What about them?" Karen asked, quietly, trying to keep her voice from cracking.

"I'll see that they get the same treatment, Lass. I promise." She whispered. Karen thought she saw a tear roll down Ana's cheek, but she couldn't be sure. Anyway, she had enough rolling down her own cheeks for the both of them. She wasn't even really afraid anymore. She cried now for the fact that she knew now that she had been wrong. She had been so sure that Josh, Tony, and she had been there for a reason…had been friends for a reason. Now they were all about to die for something that they hadn't even wanted to do. It was all her fault. Josh and Tony would have done well just to ignore her that day in grade-school just like any other day. This was all her fault. Her heart felt as if it weighed fifty pounds. Ana took one last sorrowful look at the girl's face before stepping to the side of her. Karen heard that she was shouting something to the crew, but she wasn't really listening. She felt the cold metal press to the side of her head. She heard the hammer click back one final time. _Not long now. _She wanted her last thoughts to be of Josh and Tony. She tried to think of happy times. Every time she would get close to one it was drowned out by a prodding voice in the back of her head. _All your fault._


	4. A World of Danger

**Thank you all for reading! Hope you're all enjoying the story. If y'all have any suggestions, leave a reveiw. So last time, our three amigos were just realizing where they were when things took a turn for the worst. It looked like uor heroes had the upper hand as Karen showed off her skill with a sword, but it wasn't really a match for a pistol to the head. Now, Josh and Tony are nowhere to be found and Karen is about be executed. Let's get back to the story, shall we?**

* * *

She closed her eyes now. Nothing left to do but wait. She'd given up trying to remember the good times between her, Josh and Tony. The overwhelming voices forced her to do so. _All your fault. All your fault. _She wanted Ana to just shoot her…to just get it over with. At least then, the voices would stop. She heard no other sound, although she was sure there were indeed sounds to be heard. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest. That was all she could hear now…well…not for much longer. 

"WAIT!" came a voice. It was Jack. Karen felt the pressure on the side of her head release as Jack yanked Ana-Maria's arm away. The crew was instantly a cacophony of questioning mumbles and exclamation.

"Jack, what're ya doin'? She tried to kill ye." Ana protested.

"That she did." Jack agreed. "And she almost succeeded."

"So why do ye got a hold of me arm?" Ana asked, gesturing to Jack's hand which still had a firm grip on her wrist. Jack released with an apologetic gesture.

"I _did_ say almost, did I not?" Jack questioned.

"Ye did." Ana agreed.

"This young lass showed me mercy!" he shouted to the crew. "I do believe we owe it to her…and her friends to teach them how to live the life that we have all grown to love so very much." There was laughter on the deck. "What say ye, ye murderous lowlifes?"

"AYE!" came the cheer from the entire crew on the deck and Ana beside them.

"Bring out her friends!" Jack ordered. Josh and Tony were led out through the crowd. Without even thinking, Karen ran to them and threw her arms around them both. New tears streamed down her face. Tears of joy running over the freshly dried tears of regret.

"Guys! Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She cried, burying her face in Josh's chest.

"What happened out here, Karen?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, did ya win?" Josh asked.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about it later." She said, continuing the hug. A short distance behind them, Ana-Maria spoke to Jack.

"She really cares about them, Jack." she observed. Jack was staring as the three little stowaways as they hugged and celebrated. He watched as the crew took them in, handed them some rum, and began to tell them all they needed to know to become a real pirate.

"I can see that, Love." He said, without emotion.

"Do you remember when we felt that way about things?" Ana asked, turning to him.

"Afraid not. It was too long ago." He replied.

"Me neither." She admitted. "Jack, are you sure about this?"

"Why would I be unsure, Darling?" he asked.

"Jack, both of us were forced into the lives we live. Ye know that." She said.

"And?" Jack questioned.

"Look at them, Jack. Look how happy they are. Ye know being a pirate is going to take that away from them. Ye know it! They don't know what it really means! My-My God, Jack look at 'em." She finished. Jack did. They were all laughing hysterically as one of the crew tried to teach Tony swordplay. Jack had had friends like that once. He lost every one of them the minute he started down the path he was on now. Even he and Ana-Maria, who used to be great friends had grown apart based on the assumption that either one of them could become a victim to this life and be killed any day. Pirates tried to grow no attachment to each other due to the simple danger of the life. Losing a crewmate hurts a lot less than losing a friend. Still, Jack did remember what it was like to have friends. Many years ago he _had _made a choice and while it did have its perks, it also had a downside.

"I see 'em, Ana." He said, trying not to show any emotion.

"Breakin' that up may as well be a sin, Sparrow. Do ye really want that on your head?" she said, becoming annoyed with Jack's seemingly aloof demeanor.

"As a matter of fact I don't, Ana. But, I got my reasons." He explained, turning to her.

"What might those be?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Come with me." He said, leading her away by the arm. He took her to his cabin where there were several maps, charts, and books spread out on a table. He led her over to it.

"What do ye see?" he asked.

"A mess." Ana observed with a critical chuckle.

"Quite right." Jack agreed, reexamining the table. He straightened it up a little. Ana walked over and sat on the bed. She put her face in her hands and rubbed her eyes. It had been a very eventful night. So eventful that she had not even realized how late it was. When Jack had finished, he grabbed one book in particular and brought it over to the bed. He took a seat next to Ana and held the book between them.

"Look here. What does that look like to you?" he asked. He pointed to a picture in the book.

"It looks like three people. Two men and a women." She observed.

"What are they wearing?" he asked.

"Nothing like I've ever seen." She noticed.

"Did you happen to catch what our new little friends were wearing?" he asked. Ana's eyes widened as she realized who the people in the book looked like. They narrowed again as she spoke.

"No…Jack, no! Wearing the same clothes does not mean that they are the same people." She argued, standing up.

"Come now, Ana. Look at their faces!" he said, holding up the book. "They are exactly the same." Ana couldn't fight this point any longer. She sighed, slumped her shoulders, and plopped back down on the bed.

"Fine, Sparrow. So let's say this _is _some supernatural occurrence. What does it mean?" she asked. Jack ran his finger down the page, mumbling to himself as he quickly read. He stopped. He and Ana-Maria put their heads close to each other as they read together. Jack read aloud.

"Ah, here! It says 'these three young adventurers and the bond they share will be the only key to the…" he stopped as he could not bring himself to say the next words. He slowly lifted his head to look at Ana-Maria only to realize that she was doing the same thing.

"The Lost Treasure of the Incas." She finished, in low tone. They stared at each other for a moment. Then they leapt off the bed and hugged each other.

"WE'RE RICH!" Jack shouted. He began to dance and Ana followed him. Both were laughing and yelling like giddy school children. They went on like this for a long time before collapsing back onto the bed. They both just laid there for a moment out of breath from the recent display. The smile on Ana's face died away as she came to a realization.

"Jack, does the fact that we're about to _use_ those kids leave a bad taste in your mouth?" she asked.

"I lost that sense of taste years ago, Love." He replied, still giddy about this discovery.

"I thought I had, too." Ana replied, sitting up. "I feel too rotten about this one."

"Hell of a time for ye to grow a heart." He said sitting up beside her.

"What they have is so perfect, Jack. I don't think that people like us have a right to mess with it." She admitted. He took her chin in his fingers and turned her face towards his.

"Nothing is perfect, Darling. Not even them." He said. "We have done far worse that this for far less, Ana. Now ye know I need ye with me on this. You're one of this ships finest leaders." She smiled and turned her face away, brushing off the compliment. "Come now. Ye know y'are. And _I _know that deep down, you probably want that treasure just as much as I do."

"I never said I didn't want the treasure." She corrected. "It's the methods that I don't agree with."

"Come on, Love. Don't be so naïve. No harm will come to the children. In fact, I think they'll very much enjoy it. We give them the time of their lives, and they get us more riches than we could ever imagine. How does that sound for a deal, huh?" he asked, lifting her chin with his finger. She realized that he was right. Odds were that no harm would come to them and they could indeed get them all the treasure that they had ever hoped to find.

"You're right." She admitted.

"And does that really surprise ye?" he asked, moving closer. Ana put her hand on the back of Jack's head and tilted her head to one side as she got closer, too.

"Yes it does." She said, yanking Jack's hat over his eyes at the last second. She laughed as she stood up and began to leave the cabin. The laughter died and she stopped in the doorway.

"What makes you think they'll have such a great time?" she asked. Jack finished readjusting his hat.

"Who wouldn't have fun being a pirate, Darling?" he asked with that typical Jack Sparrow grin. Ana smiled as she left the cabin.

* * *

"What are these made of?" asked one of the crew members, pawing at Josh's jeans. 

"It's called denim." Josh said. "And this is just cotton." He said to another crewman who was feeling his shirt.

"Where did you find 'denim'?" the crewman asked. Josh looked at Karen and Tony who were sitting on the steps above him. Without really asking, he was checking for approval to tell the crewmen where they were all actually from. Tony and Karen shrugged. What harm could come of it? Josh began to explain.

"Well, were we come from, denim is very popular. Everyone wears denim. Even girls wear denim." He explained, gesturing at Karen's jeans. The crew nodded in awe. "See, we come from a place very, very far away from here and it is very, very different. Where we come from, pirates are people who steal music."

"Steal music?" one of the men questioned.

"Yeah, to put into one of these." Tony cut in as he pulled out his MP3 player and turned it on. The light made the crew react with oohs and aahs. "When I put these in my ears and push this button, I hear music."

"Do you all 'steal music'?" one man asked. They all nodded.

"So you are pirates, then?" he asked. They all laughed.

"Yeah, I guess we are." Josh said. A cheer went up from the crew. The three friends smiled at each other.

"Tell us more, Josh." One man asked eagerly.

"Ok. Um…what else? Uh…oh! Ok. In our world, almost no one sails or knows how to fight with a sword." He added.

"What about Karen?" one man asked.

"Well, I guess Karen is just special." He said, turning to her and smiling. Karen didn't know why, but her heart did a back flip when he smiled at her. She had never felt that way before; around him or anyone else. She watched him explain "their world" to the crewmen and found that she must look as spellbound as they did…though perhaps for unlike reasons.

"What would you say, Karen?" Josh asked, turning around again.

"What was that?" she asked, snapping out of a trance that she was unaware she had even slipped into.

"I asked how you'd describe basketball." He repeated.

"Oh. It's…uh…it's a game that we play with five people on each team and we basically have to put a ball that's about this big through a hoop that's about that high above the ground. To win, we just have to do it more times than the other team." She explained. Josh was turned and watching her as she spoke. How confident she was. Look at her just command the attention of that whole crew without even thinking about it. She had so much spunk. Josh loved that about her. There was not a whole lot that Karen was afraid of and even fewer things that would keep her from doing something. Although Josh had known Tony longer, he felt a stronger bond with Karen. Even though she was a girl, Josh felt comfortable going to Karen about problems that he felt Tony might just laugh at. Although Karen would favor a pair of jeans over a skirt and would much rather attend a Super Bowl party than a spa party, to Josh, she seemed like a perfect lady.

"What do you think, Josh?" Karen asked.

"Huh?" he said, not even knowing why he was being addressed.

"How would you explain a car?" she asked.

"Oh, that's easy." He said. They sat there for hours describing school, movies, TV, planes, tennis shoes, big cities, and everything in between. When the crew had finally gone to bed, the friends decided it was best to follow their example. Tony shuffled off to bed with a groggy "good night". Karen and Josh stood at the railing of the ship for a moment and looked at the sky.

"Well, here we are." Josh said. Karen laughed.

"Here we are." She repeated. "I can't believe this is really happening. I keep thinking that I'm gonna wake up, but it never happens."

"I know what you mean. I mean, my God, we've been here one night and we all nearly got ourselves killed, we got accepted into a pirate crew, and you bested Jack Frickin' Sparrow in a swordfight. When we get home you should add that to your resume." He said.

"What section should it be under?" she asked through a chuckle.

"Accomplishments, of course. That'll definitely get you past Joe Schmo who was voted MVP on his school's Lacrosse team." Josh said. Karen started laughing again. He loved to make her laugh.

"Seriously, though, Karen. I'm, uh…I'm really proud of you. That took a lot of guts." He said shyly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Thanks, Josh." She said. She was thankful that it was too dark for him to see her blush.

"Well, hey. We'd better get some sleep. We probably have a big couple of days coming up." He observed.

"Go ahead. I'll be there in just a few minutes." She said.

"What's out here that's better than a nice warm hammock?" he asked.

"A sky of stars minus four-hundred years of CFCs." She answered, looking up at the sky. Josh looked up, as well. He had never seen the stars look like that. There were so many.

"You know, it's better if you lay on your back. That way, your neck won't hurt in the morning." He mentioned.

"Lay on my back?" she asked, as if she was worried about looking stupid.

"Yeah." said Josh. With that he laid down right there on the deck and looked up at the sky. "Come on, there's no one here but me." Karen smiled and lay down next to Josh.

"Better?" he asked.

"A lot." She answered.

"This is really something." Josh said.

"Yeah it really is." Karen agreed. No more words were spoken between the two, yet neither of them felt awkward. There was no need for words. They both gazed up at the sky each wondering what the coming days would bring. Neither of them could even take a guess. A few minutes later Josh looked over at Karen. She was fast asleep. He smiled to himself. He picked her up like a child and carried her to her hammock. He crawled into the one right under hers and slowly drifted of to sleep.


	5. Sails of Fire

Josh woke the next morning to one of the crewmen flipping him out of his hammock. He was a fraction of a second away from slugging whoever had just done it until he remembered where he was. He was so sure that he would wake up and have this whole thing just have been a dream. As he looked around, he realized that he was very much mistaken.

"Rise and shine, lad! Time to hoist the sails." One of the crewmen barked. Karen popped out of the crowd and offered a hand to help Josh up.

"Yeah, lad, it's time to hoist the sails." She said with a smile. He smiled back and took her hand.

"Where's Tony?" he asked, stretching. Karen laughed.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She chuckled. Josh thought it best to find out for himself. Josh, Karen and the rest of the crew all shuffled out onto the deck. Josh turned around to see Jack tutoring Tony on how to steer the ship. Josh couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, Jack!" Josh called. Tony and Jack both looked up. "I wouldn't trust that one if I were you! He could run us aground in the middle of the ocean."

"I've only sent the contrary, Mate." Jack replied. "You'd do well to learn a thing or two from this young man. He seems to have done this all his life."

"See? You'd do well to learn a thing or two from me, Mister Man!" Tony called with a smile. Josh turned and walked over to a group of crewmen who were all tugging on some rigging. He joined them. As he was pulling something caught his eye way up on one of the yard arms. A bright flash of pink. Karen was working at letting the sail loose along with about six of the men. Man, she was a long way up there. He didn't know if he would have the guts to do that. Nothing ever stopped Karen from trying something. She may or may not have been afraid, but she was up there regardless. Watching her work made Josh smile. She and the six men stood up as the giant white sail tumbled down and caught the wind. The ship jerked slightly and now was slicing through the waves.

* * *

Karen watched as the first four men zipped down ropes back to the deck below. All of a sudden, the deck seemed to be a long way down. She hesitated as she watched the fifth man zip down. The sixth man stopped as he looked at her hands. They were slightly pink from working with the ropes. She looked up at him.

"I think I'll just climb back down the shrouds." She said as she started towards them. The man grabbed her arm stopping her.

"Oh come now! Don't be such a g-…" he stopped himself. Karen raised her eyebrows. For a moment, she decided to milk it, faking extreme offense. The man's eyes went wide as he found himself speechless. Karen broke down and laughed.

"It's alright." She said.

"I just meant that you'll be fine. There's no reason to be afraid. Hold on." He said. He dug into one of his pockets and pulled out a strip of cotton. He took one of her hands and wrapped it. He reached into his pocket once more and pulled out a strip of leather. He wrapped that around the outside of the cotton. He went through the same process with Karen' other hand. He reached off to his side and grabbed a rope. He handed it to her.

"Alright, Lass. Now just hang on tight and jump." He said, as if this should be simple.

"That's it?" Karen asked, gripping the rope as tightly as she could and preparing to jump.

"Oh, one more thing. Don't look down." He said. Before she knew what was happening, Karen felt a sharp shove that sent her flailing off the yardarm. She squeezed the rope and felt her speed decrease. She could feel the rope zip through her fingers as she squeezed her eyes shut tight. All of a sudden, she felt her feet make contact. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself standing on the deck. She stood there for a moment in complete shock. She heard a thud behind her as the crewman dropped onto the deck as well. She turned and looked at him speechless.

"Congratulations, Lass. Your legs aren't broken." He said, very matter-of-factly. She turned around and charged the man only to be stopped short by three other crew members. She wrenched around trying to get free. The crewman she was after only laughed.

"I could have been killed you son of a bitch! I could have died!!!" she yelled. The man approached her.

"But ye didn't. Did ye, Lass?" he asked, approaching her.

"That's not the point, asshole!" she said, becoming more infuriated by the second.

"Look Karen," the crewman said. "I knew you'd be fine. When a person falls off of a high place, the natural reaction is to clench. Ye did that. That's the way I learned how to do it, that's the way we all learned how to do it. Welcome to the riggin' crew."

Karen stopped struggling as the three other men let her go and began patting her on the back and cheering. Slowly, a smile met her lips. She walked over to a set of steps and sat down. She found herself shaking. She wasn't afraid anymore, but getting over the shock left her trembling. Josh ran over to her.

"Karen, that was sweet!" he said, excitedly. She looked up at him.

"Thanks, Josh." She said, trying to sound normal.

"You alright?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied, trying to sound normal. Josh could see right through her.

"You sure?" he asked, putting a hand on her knee. "Oh geez, you're shakin'." He said.

"Yeah, I guess I am." She said, trying to brush it off. Josh suddenly appeared very sympathetic. He wanted to help her so badly. He hated to see her afraid. So he did the first thing that came to his head.

"That must've been pretty scary, huh?" he said, hugging her. He felt he stop shaking almost instantly. She felt so safe all of a sudden. As he held her, all of her fear and tension melted away. It seemed that in Josh's arms she was protected from everything. Nothing could touch her when she was with him. She liked that feeling.

"Yeah, it was." She said with a nervous laugh. "But you know what scares me most?"

"What's that?" he asked pulling her back.

"That fall made me realize how real this is. This whole thing. This is the real deal. I mean any one of us could really…well…we could really…" she said but couldn't bring herself to say the word.

"Don't think like that, Karen." Josh said, sternly.

"But, Josh, what if…?" she was cut off.

"There are too many "what ifs" in this world as it is, Karen. We'll deal with ours when they get here, okay?" he asked. She smiled. He knew just what to say to make her feel better. She nodded.

"Plus, the way you handle a sword, I don't think you have a whole lot to worry about." Josh finished with a chuckle.

"A sword won't stop a bullet, Josh." She said.

"Hey. Nothing is going to happen to either of us out here, alright? I got you, and you…you have me." He said, taking her hand. They both grinned at each other. Both suddenly felt a lot safer. They had a friendship that was unlike any that either had ever known. Neither wanted it to end and if that note had been telling the truth, they had taken their first step to make sure that it wouldn't. They found themselves gazing at each other. Their trance was broken by the uproarious laughter of the crew as they watched Tony walk on his hands.

"What about Tony?" Karen asked.

"I think we should forget about Tony." Josh said. They both laughed as they leaned back on the steps. Suddenly, Jack appeared on the upper deck.

"AVAST!" he yelled getting the crew's attention. They all gathered on the main deck below.

"I have decided that a change in course is in order." He announced. There was a cacophony of "Whats" and "Whys" from the crew. Gibbs stepped forward.

"Why, Jack? Where are we goin'?" he asked.

"We are going to the Island of Pachacutec due South West and as for why, you all just let me worry about that." He said. The crew all just stood there for a moment. "Well, get on ye underhanded seadogs!"

The crew all scurried about as they shifted the course of the ship. The three friends helped out wherever they could. Tony overheard a few of the men talking.

"Jack hasn't changed a course in years." One man commented.

"Ye think it has somethin' to do with them kids?" the other asked.

"I don't know how, but who knows how Jack's mind works?" the first replied. The conversation was in Tony's head all day long.

* * *

They had changed the course and sailed on for the rest of the day. As the sun was setting a call suddenly went up form the crow's nest.

"SHIP HO! ENGLISH VESSEL!!!" the man called to the crew. Jack bolted onto the deck and began shooting orders along with Mr. Gibbs.

"Take up arms and ready the cannons. Should they get close enough prepare to be boarded!" Gibbs hollered. Tony grabbed his arm.

"Mr. Gibbs, why don't we just run away." Tony asked. Gibbs pulled out a telescope and extended it.

"Take a look through there, lad. Ye see how fast that ships movin'? By the time we get turned around they'll already be on board." He explained.

"So we fight?" Tony asked.

"Aye, that we do." Gibbs said, with a grin. Suddenly, Tony looked petrified. "Oh come now, Lad. Ye'll be fine. Take this." With that Gibbs pulled out his own pistol and gave it to Tony.

"Oh no, sir, I can't." Tony protested.

"That got me through my first fight, son. I want it to do the same for you." He said, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder and handing him the pistol. "Now get ready. They'll be on us in only a few more minutes."

Tony joined Karen and Josh on the main deck as the English ship made its final approach. They each had new belt that held a sword and a pistol and each held a rifle in their hands. One of the crew had just given each of them a crash course in how to use them.

"You guys nervous?" Tony asked. Karen looked over at Josh and he looked back. They smiled at each other.

"No." Karen said simply.

"Me neither." Josh added. They all stood poised now as the other ship began to line up with theirs. They could see the English Guard donned in their bright red uniforms. How scruffy they felt in comparison. They other ship continued to slide closer. Just then the friends heard "FIRE!" from below deck. With that the booming sound of the cannons could be heard. The friends all jumped slightly. They were not particularly focused on that, however. Instead, they were looking across the gap at the English guard who were preparing grappling hooks.

"Prepare to be boarded!" Jack shouted from the upper deck. No sooner had he said this, came the overwhelming number of grappling hooks flying through the air and catching on all parts of the rigging, shrouds, and railings. The crew all readied their rifles and pistols.

"Hold!" Jack called, arm raised in the air. The English guardsmen all leapt from their own railing and went swinging across the gap.

"FIRE!" Jack shouted, dropping his arm. BANG, BANG, BANG. Only about half of the Guards made it across the gap. The ones who did make it were upon the pirates instantly. Some of the pirates ran along the railing cutting the ropes of the grappling hooks. Josh and Karen had drawn their swords and were doing their best to stave off as many Guards as they could. Tony had take a place on the upper deck and was pegging guardsmen on the other ship with Gibbs's pistol. He ducked below the railing just in time as he was showered with splinters of wood. He looked up to see one of the Guardsmen staring down at him with a cocky smirk on his face and pistol trained.

"Yo-ho, Yo-ho." The man said. All of a sudden, Karen came swinging in on one of the grappling hook ropes and landed right next to the Guard. He pointed the pistol quickly at her. She ducked and reached up grabbing his wrist and forcing the shot skyward. She maintained a hold of his wrist as she turned her back to him. She threw an elbow that hit him squarely in the nose. He dropped his pistol and staggered backwards. His back hit the railing as Karen turned around and drew her own pistol. She fired. The shot hit its mark and the man went flipping over the railing. Tony was openmouthed. She looked over at him, picked up his gun and tossed it to him.

"You owe me one, MacMullen." She said, with a grin. She ran down the stairs back on to the main deck. Tony drew his sword and followed her.

Jack skewered several of the guards before he came upon him. Surely the Captain of the other ship by the way he was dressed.

"Jack Sparrow." The man said in an uppity tone.

"Well, ye don't seem to need your vision checked." Jack said, charmingly.

"I will surely get made Admiral for bringing you in." he said, drawing his sword. The thing gleamed in the last light of the setting sun.

"If ye want to bring me in, do ye be needin' that?" Jack asked.

"I believe the posters say 'living or dead'. And I must say I see you as a worthy opponent." The man said, as the two men circled each other.

"Well, in that case-…oh my, your ship!" Jack said, in shock. The Captain whirled around to see what had become of his beloved vessel. To his surprise everything seemed normal. He turned back to Jack only to find him missing.

"SPARROW!!!" he screamed in frustration. Jack scurried through the battle that was taking place on the main deck putting as much space between him and the Captain as possible.

The horde of Guards seemed endless and the pirates were losing steam. The guards had been slowly working to surround them, and they had finally accomplished that goal. The pirates were gathered in the center of the main deck facing outward. All swords were still drawn on both sides although the fighting was at a standstill. The guards all looked at each other and drew their pistols simultaneously sheathing their swords.

"Drop your weapons." The English Captain ordered. The pirates all looked at each other and did as they were told.

"Hands on your heads." The man continued. Again, the pirates obeyed.

"Now…Sparrow." The man finished. The pirate crowd parted revealing Jack ducking, hoping not to be noticed. Realizing that he had been found, Jack swaggered over to the Captain.

"Captain! Jolly good fight, eh?" he asked, as if he and the Captain were best friends. The Captain drew his sword and put it to Jack's throat.

"Not another step, Sparrow." He said, coldly.

"Well, I can see that you're a man who means business, so let me get right to the point. How much was the price me head, if I may ask?" Jack said, smiling.

"Fifty thousand pounds." The man said, cheerily. Jack appeared surprised.

"That's it?" he asked. "Gibbs, what was it last year?"

"Seventy-five, Jack." Gibbs called.

"Damn, looks like I need to get better at me job, eh?" Jack said. The crew laughed. Jack had a knack for making even the most serious situations a little lighter.

"In any case," he continued, "that is mere shillings compared to what I am on the trail of at this very moment. Tell me, Captain, have ye ever heard of the lost treasure of the Incas?" The Captain's eyes lit up, though he did his best to hide it.

"I have indeed." The man said.

"Well, you see these younger ones behind me in the strange clothes?" Jack said lowering his tone.

"I do." The Captain said.

"Well, those three are the key to finding said Treasure." Jack said, as persuasively as possible. The man looked at the crowd.

"Did you say three, Sparrow?" the man asked.

"That I did." Jack replied, confidently.

"I see only two." The Captain said. Jack whirled around. Sure enough there stood his crew plus only Josh and Tony.

"One moment, mate." Jack said, sweetly to the Captain as he walked towards Josh and Tony. He spoke in barely above a whisper. "Mind if I asked, where our little princess might be?" Josh and Tony looked around. They hadn't even noticed she was gone.

"We don't know, Jack." Josh said, worry leaking into his voice.

"What do ye mean ye don't know?" Jack said, fighting the urge to kill the messenger.

"LOOK!" called one of the guards. Everyone's heads snapped over to the other ship where the man had been pointing. There, on the deck of the other ship, stood Karen, torch in hand. The Captain rushed to the rail of the ship yelling at her to stop along with every obscenity that he could think of. It was no use. Karen ran to each sail, setting them ablaze as she went. Several of the guards ran to the rail and leaped towards their own ship. A few of them made it. Karen noticed this and bolted fort the helm. She jerked the wheel away from Jack's ship. The sails, though fully engulfed, hadn't burned through yet and still seemed to be catching wind. The gap widened enough within seconds. Both crews all gazed at this sight. There she was. Karen McCleod. Sailing a ship with sails of fire. This image was one that would be seen in some mythology. Their jaws were all agape. The image only lasted for a few seconds. They all saw Karen duck as part of the helm was blown off by the few men who had made it back across. The all fired at her wildly. She shot back only a few times before realizing that this was more than she could handle. She ran for the aft of the ship. She leaped off of the railing into the ocean some forty feet below. The crew all raced to the rail and watched as the few guards chased her to the edge and fired wildly into the water. They thought they could see her swimming but, as night had fallen, it was hard to tell. Just then their attention was turned once again to the enemy that they still had aboard. The other crew seemed to snap out of it only a second later. The all turned around from their places at the railing and were met with working end of every pistol still on board.

"I do believe this is where you boys get off." Josh said. The guards all looked at each other and leaped overboard. The captain was the last to jump but before he did he was stopped by Jack. Jack walked over to him.

"Captain, might I relieve you of that fine sword?" he asked. The captain ripped the sword out of its sheath and threw it to the ground at Jack's feet.

"Bloody Pirates." He said, under his breath.

"Men. Did you hear what he called us?" Jack said, feigning offense. There were mock gasps of shock from the crew. "Captain, we are _not _pirates."

"Then what would you say you are, heathen?" the Captain scoffed.

"We, dear Captain, are proprietors of a new age lifestyle that we like to call treasure appropriations. We do not appreciate the term _pirate_. You have offended me and my entire crew, so this is where we say goodbye." Jack said. With one last shove, Jack sent the Captain into the black ocean. A cheer went up on the main deck. Just then the blazing ship to their starboard side had finally had too much. As the flames finally reached the ammunition hold, night was, for the briefest moment turned to day as the grand ship exploded. A louder cheer went up from the crew, but this was what stopped Josh and Tony from cheering. Karen. They had almost forgotten about her. They rushed to the rail of the ship. The crew noticed this and remembered, too.

"Karen!" Josh called into the darkness. No answer. "Oh my God. KAREN!!!" he yelled even louder. Still nothing. Tony just stood there. He was frozen. He couldn't bring himself to yell. He wanted to, but he couldn't.

"Tony! Snap out of it. KAREN!!!" Josh called again. He had tears forming in his eyes. He was so afraid. He stopped yelling. Not a sound was heard from the crew. The guards had swum away. All that could be heard was the creaking of the ship. Everyone stared across the black ocean. Josh was fully crying now. Tony had never seen him cry before.

"KAREN!!! Karen." Josh said more quietly, breaking into a sob. Jack came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, lad. I think we should stop now." Jack said, with surprising seriousness. Josh swiped Jack's hand away.

"Shut up! What do you know? You don't know anything!!!" Josh seethed, ready to bash Jack's brains in for what he was suggesting. He turned again to the rail. "KAREN!!!"

"Look!" one of the crewmen called. He pointed out just where the extent of the light from the torches stretched out into the ocean. There, on a floating piece of debris, they could just barely make out a figure. The thing floated closer from the waves created by the exploding ship. As it got closer, they all noticed the pink t-shirt.

"Oh Jesus…Karen!" Josh called to her. No response. He ran over to a length of rope and tied it around his chest. When he was finished the crew took the other end and Josh jumped over the side. He swam over to Karen and looked at her.

"Karen. Karen, wake up." He said touching her face. It was so dark, that he could barely see. She did not wake up. Josh put his face very close to hers. She was breathing! He wrapped his muscular arms around her and called to the crew.

"Get us up there!" he said. Like a shot, they were out of the water and back on board the ship. Josh laid Karen out on the deck. He had no idea what to do. Gibbs rushed over, accompanied by Ana-Maria. They began to examine Karen. All Josh and Tony could do was watch. When it looked as if they were done, Tony spoke.

"Well, is-is she gonna be okay?" he asked, each word dripping with worry.

"She'll be fine." Ana-Maria said.

"Took a nasty bang on the head, though." Gibbs added. "She'll need a splash of rum when she wakes up. Till' then, I think one of you boys best keep and eye on her overnight. Just in case."

"I'll do it." Josh said. He lifted her up and carried her to the crew quarters. He set her gently into her hammock. The second night in a row he had done this, he realized. He pulled up a small stool and plopped down on it. He took Karen's hand. He held it to his face as he spoke to her near-lifeless form.

"Geez, Karen. Look what you did now. You had to be the hero, didn't ya? You can't do that to me again. I was so scared." He said. Just then he noticed the crew all gazing at him through a window.

"What are you looking at, ye scroungy vermin!" he said. Woah, had he just said 'ye scroungy vermin'? He had been here to long already.

"Did you hear that, Karen?" Josh asked, laughing to himself. "This place has got me talking funny." Just then he heard the softest moan. He snapped his gaze up and found that Karen's lips had parted.

"Karen?" he asked, softly. Her eyelids opened ever so slightly. She did her best to speak.

"Josh? Wha' happen-?" was all she could get out. Josh was so happy he could have cried. He laughed slightly.

"You are an action star, McCleod. I'll tell you all about it when you wake up. Try to get some sleep now though, alright." He said, in as nurturing a voice as he could.

"A'right." She said, putting up no fight. She eyes closed again as she drifted off to sleep. He still held her hand, though he knew she probably hadn't realized it. It took nearly losing her for him to realize how much he needed her. It would have been fair to call what they had 'love'. They _had _after all been friends for nearly their whole lives. What Josh didn't know was, if this was the kind of 'love' they talk about in fairytales or merely the love shared between two friends as close as they were. He looked at her face. She was soaking wet, yet beautiful to him. He had never known what he felt for Karen. Nor, did he think he would find out tonight. He kissed her hand.

"Night, Karen." He said, as he slumped over her body and slowly fell asleep.


	6. Good News Travels Fast

Karen felt a weird pressure on her stomach as she awoke. For a moment she just lay there trying to figure out what it was. She slowly opened her eyes and tilted her head up slightly to find Josh curled over her like a student who had fallen asleep in class. She smiled slightly and decided not to wake him. She had probably slept better than he had. She laid her head back onto the hoodie that Josh had fashioned into a pillow and glanced around at the ship. She could hear it creak as it was rocked by the waves and she heard thumping from outside as if from footfalls. She glanced around the cabin once more. She and Josh were the only two in the entire quarters. She had really better get up. Who knew what time it was. For all she knew she had been asleep for days. God knows she felt like it. She propped herself up and put a hand on Josh's shoulder.

"Rise and shine, Davis." She said softly. He took a deep breath as he awoke. He looked up at her and realized the position he was in. He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"Who knows? Geez, is it bright in here?" Karen replied. Josh didn't think it was any brighter than normal, but hold on! Josh had nearly forgotten about the events the night before. They seemed to come back to him like a flood.

"Oh my God. You're alright." He said.

"Looks that way." Karen said rubbing her head.

"Are-_are_ you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah. I mean I think so. What happened?" he asked.

"_That_ is one hell of a story." He said. He proceeded to tell her the whole tale of how she had stood against the troop of guards and blown up the ship. She seemed surprised to hear these things. Almost as if she was hearing them for the first time.

"Is that really true?" she asked.

"Every word. Mr. Bruckheimer really missed out by not putting you in the movie." Josh said with a smile. Karen laughed.

"I can't believe that. What the hell was I thinking?" she thought out loud.

"You know, they say that one's actions in a dream is a window into what the soul truly wishes to be." Josh said.

"This isn't a dream, Josh." Karen pointed out.

"It's not exactly reality either." Josh retorted.

"Point taken." Karen said with a giggle. "So Mr. Philosopher, by your expert estimation, what does my soul 'truly wish to be'?" Karen asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"A hero." Josh replied, without a trace of joking in his voice. "You want to do so much good, and our world can't measure up to all that you want."

Karen was open-mouthed. Josh had just read her like a book. While she had not even necessarily noticed it herself, she did feel frustrated in everyday life. Almost as if the world she lived in wasn't enough. Almost as if there _were _something more. She felt that she was needed for some reason that rivaled even her own existence. She felt this way all the time and Josh had just hit the nail on the head.

"Am I close?" Josh asked smiling.

"Keep practicing, Aristotle. You got some work to do on that theory." Karen lied trying to cover up the emotions that Josh had already noticed.

"Do I?" Josh asked with a smirk.

"I think so." Karen laughed, getting out of her hammock.

"We'd better go outside to…whoa." Karen put a hand on her head and began to rock back and forth. She placed a hand against a beam, trying to prop herself up, before leaning against it completely. She slid to her knees groaning and holding her head all the way down. Josh had run over to her and stood there ready to catch her if she fell. She met the ground on her terms, however, and he took a knee next to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I thought so. Oh-ho, God." She moaned with her head in her hands. She squeezed her eyes shut tight in pain. Josh thought he heard a slight slur in her speech only confirming his biggest fear at this point.

"Karen." He said softly.

"What?" she said looking up at him.

"Let me see your eyes." He said, placing his fingers under her chin. He turned her head left and right trying to find the best light.

"Why?" Karen asked as he did this. Josh found the light and looked at her eyes and one part of them in particular. Her pupils were very dilated. He released her chin and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and fore finger.

"Whassa matter?" Karen asked. Josh noticed the slur more now that he was listening for it. He sighed.

"You have a concussion, Karen. A pretty bad one." Josh said, sadly. Looked shocked. Then denial set in.

"Now how the hell do you know that?" she asked, critically.

"First of all, listen to yourself. You sound like you're drunk. Next, no, it's not bright in here. Your pupils are the size of frickin' dimes. Third, I had a concussion when I was on the football team, so I know what to look for." Josh explained. Karen believed him. She trusted him. She had from the beginning, but she didn't want to believe that this was true. There would be no help for her here. Aspirin wouldn't be invented for centuries. Karen thought for a moment.

"So is that whole thing true, that I can't go to sleep?" she asked.

"Just for a few days. You'll be fine." Josh reassured.

"And I suppose it's too much to hope that you carry Vicodin around in your pocket." She said with a grin.

"Yeah it is. Here let's get you back up here." He replied, helping her back into her hammock. "Now here's my iPod. You just listen to something that'll keep you awake and I'm gonna go outside for a minute.

"Alright." She said taking the iPod. Josh smiled as he stood up and went to walk away.

"Oh, Josh." Karen said. He turned around. "Thanks for everything."

He nodded and walked towards the door.

* * *

"'No harm will come to the children' ye said! 'They'll enjoy themselves' ye said!" Ana ranted in Jack's cabin.

"Did I ever say they were going to enjoy themselves the _entire_ time, Ana? That I did not." Jack argued.

"That young lass could've been killed, Jack!" Ana protested more loudly.

"_That_ was nobody's fault but her own. Nobody told her she had to hop aboard an enemy ship and blow it up." Jack said.

"If she hadn't, we'd all be in the gallows by now." Ana said, crossing her arms. Jack slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"You make a logical point, Love." Jack sighed.

"And THEN ye had to go and tell that damn captain what those kids are good for. Every crew in the Caribbean will know all about it by midday." Ana said.

"And?" asked Jack sarcastically. "Last time I checked _we _are the ones who have the kids, not 'every crew in the Caribbean'."

"Jack, ye know they'll all be after 'em! Ye know that! They're in more danger now than ever." Ana argued.

"Well, what're we supposed to do about it now? Huh? One, we're in the middle of the bloody ocean. Two, are we just supposed to drop 'em at some port? At least now they got someone looking after 'em. We can just leave 'em now." Jack said, with uncharacteristic conviction. Ana knew that Jack had ulterior motives, but at the same time she knew he was right. They couldn't just leave them anywhere, especially now that every pirate for ten thousand miles knew who they were. She lowered he eyes and stuffed her hands in her pockets.

"Your right, Jack." She admitted. She pointed a finger at him and got extremely close. "But if anything happens to any of them, I'll see the same happen to you. Understand?"

"I am willin' that accept that risk, Darling." He said sweetly.

"And you have to tell them what the situation is." Ana added shattering Jack's smile.

"Wha…Why?" Jack asked.

"It's only fair that they know the danger now that there is indeed danger afoot." Ana said, with a smirk.

"But…But I…" Jack started. Ana cut him off with that look that he had come to know so well over the years.

"Fine." He surrendered.

"Good." She said, leaving the cabin. "Best get on it then."

"_Why do women insist on being so difficult?_" Jack pondered for a moment.

* * *

Tony rushed up to Josh as he stepped onto the main deck.

"H-How is she, Man? Is she alright?" Tony asked.

"She's fine, Man, but she'll have to take it east for the next few days." Josh replied.

"Thank God. Hey, did ya tell her about what happened." Asked Tony.

"Yeah, I did." Josh said, cracking a smile.

"What'd she say?" asked Tony.

"I'm not sure she believed me." Laughed Josh. Tony laughed too.

"I see you two lads don't seem too concerned with your friends condition." Jack asked, coming up behind the two.

"Oh, no Jack it's not that. She's fine." Josh explained. Suddenly, Jack looked sheepish.

"May I speak with her?" Jack asked, refusing to make eye contact with either of them.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead." Josh said. Jack proceeded past them into the crew quarters where he found Karen with a long white cord dangling from each ear.

"Ahoy there, Love." Jack said. Karen's head snapped around as she took the buds out of her ears,

"Hey, Jack. What's up?" she asked with a smile.

"Huh?" Jack asked, confused. Karen laughed. She had almost forgotten the accommodations that had to be made for the pirates.

"Was there something you wanted?" she asked, trying to suppress a chuckle.

"Just to thank ye, lass. What ye did last night was…um…very courageous and as it turns out ye saved me ship and me crew…so, um…thank ye." He said.

"Your welcome, Jack." She said, sweetly. Jack smiled and turned to leave when he noticed Ana in the window. She made a "turn around" motion with her finger forcing Jack to do so.

"Oh," Jack said as if he'd just remembered something. "One more thing. I felt it necessary to warn you that a few other crews might be wantin' to get a hold of you and your friends, but there's no need to worry."

"Well, why do they wanna get a hold of us?" Karen asked, puzzled. Jack shrugged.

"Ye got me, Love. Maybe they just want to learn more about where ye came from or…" Jack continued to speak, but Karen already knew he was lying. Since when are pirates _that _interested in learning? She let Jack continue talking for the mere novelty of seeing him squirm.

"Jack?" she asked, finally interrupting him.

"Yes, dear?" he asked.

"Tell me the truth." She said. Jack could tell by her expression that she knew he was lying. He decided it was best to just come out with it. He sighed.

"Alright, Love. Ye got me." He said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a map. "See you and the two charming gents out there are actually the keys to this treasure."

"What kind of treasure?" Karen asked.

"The very expensive variety." He answered. "And you and your friends are our only ways to get it."

"How is that? How are we 'keys'?" Karen asked.

"That, we must wait to find out, Lass." Jack said.

"Do we get any say in this?" Karen asked.

"Not really. If ye don't want to sail with us anymore, I'm sure another crew would take ye in. However, they might be slightly more…rough, with you in particular if ye catch my drift." Jack said, with a suggestive look. Karen's eyes drifted from Jack's. He was right. Not all pirates were like the ones they had seen in the movies. She, Josh and Tony were probably in the best position they could be in right now.

"We'll stay." She said.

"Wonderful." Exclaimed Jack as he stood up from his crouched position over Karen. "It really is for the best, Lass. Ye three get a safe place to stay and we all become rich for doing nothing more than showin' charity to strangers."

Karen smiled as she watched Jack become more and more excited. As she watching him celebrate, it occurred to her that despite his behavior and general manner, he was a very good captain. He loved his crew, he was smart about what he did, and he was always up to make himself and his crew a buck. He was a good captain…and a good man. He finished his exclamations and was on the way out the door when he turned to Karen.

"Karen." He said, in a more serious tone. She realized that this was the first time in a long time that he had used her name.

"Yeah?" she asked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a medium sized bottle full of the classic caramel colored concoction. He tossed it to her. She caught it and looked back up at him, confused.

"Hope your head feels better." Jack said as he swaggered out of the quarters. She looked at the bottle for a moment. A dirty bottle and inside was something she had never had a drop of in her life. She just sat there and stared at it for a while. She plugged Josh's earbuds back into her ears. She pulled the cork out of the bottle.

"What the hell?" she said to herself. She took a big swig of the rum. Her head felt better already.

* * *

The man walked into the tavern not wet anymore, yet still looking a bit waterlogged. His once bright red uniform now encrusted with dry salt. His captain's hat far older looking than it was. He sat down a small table in a darker corner and took a look at the sinister looking man across from him. The other man was a pirate captain (or so he had been told) with a giant scar across his forehead running under and eye patch and reemerging on his cheek. He too wore a captain's hat and his was much nicer. The man glanced up from his drink.

"Is there some reason ye interrupted me beverage?" the pirate asked with a gruff voice and no patience.

"Well, sir," the captain started timidly. "I am a Captain in the English Navy."

"Ye should know, dear man, that I haven't much tolerance for men who've been trained their whole lives to kill me." The pirate said. The Captain had not even noticed the huge man sneak up behind him. The man jabbed a pistol into the captains back out of sight of the other tavern patrons. The Captains eyes went wide.

"Now," the pirate continued. "If ye'll simply follow my associate into the back alley behind the pub, we can make this quick and painless."

"It-It's ab-bout Jack Sp-Sparrow." The Captain managed. The pirate glanced up at the man with the pistol signaling for him to wait.

"I'm listening." Said the pirate.


	7. New Danger

"He said what?" Josh asked.

"Now this might not be a bad thing, Josh. Slow down for a sec." Karen urged. Josh stood up, ready to go give Jack a piece of his mind. Karen grabbed his arm from her place in the hammock.

"Hold on there, Galahad." She said. He didn't try to pull away from her.

"Karen, he lied to you. He lied to all of us. He used us!" Josh fumed.

"What did you expect him to do? He has the biggest treasure in world ripe for the picking and all he has to do to get it is screw three stowaways." She said. Josh sat down. He knew she was right. He was Jack Sparrow after all. No one could expect him to do any different. He had betrayed close friends for less than he was betraying them.

"Start thinking in terms of the movies, Josh. We can't think about these guys as characters while we're here. They are real people with real motives and real personalities. Now, since we've seen the movies, we know them inside and out. We have to use that our advantage." Karen though out loud. Josh agreed.

"So as long as were here we should just leave well enough alone." Josh asked.

"Exactly." Karen replied. Josh sighed.

"I guess you're right. I mean, we're probably best off here right." Josh said.

"Right." Karen said. They both just sat there for a moment.

"So how's you're head today?" Josh asked.

"A lot better." Karen replied.

"Really? That's pretty fast." Josh said, skeptically.

"Well, it's partially due to Jack's brand of pain killer." Karen said, reaching under her covers and pulling out the half-empty bottle of rum. Josh did his best not to laugh. Karen had always been the good girl in about any social circle she ran in. Now she had downed a half-bottle of straight rum. Karen laughed a Josh's mixed expression.

"Now I see why people like this stuff so much. I feel fantastic." Karen said faking a drunk voice. Josh laughed.

"Can I have a swig of that?" Josh asked. She handed him the bottle and he took a drink. His eyes widened for a split second before closing as he coughed.

"Holy shit." He sputtered. "Geez Kar, that's the real stuff."

"Real or not, it does the trick. I'll be on my feet again I no time." She laughed. And she was. Only days later she was back to normal doing work and joking around just like her old self. Tony and Josh were happy to have her back as were the rest of the crew.

One foggy morning as they were just as they had let down the sails for the day, the crew all heard a sound that shot the instantly into a panic.

"SHIP HO! PIRATE VESSEL! THE BLACK MAIDEN!" came from the crows nest. The crew on the deck began to scurry about as they prepared for the fight that was surely to come. All the crewmates on the yardarms zipped down their ropes and landed on the deck. After landing, Karen ran over to Jack. She had never seen him look so worried.

"Jack, what's going on? What's the 'Black Maiden'?" she asked.

"It's the ship of another captain named John Ripper." He responded.

"Who's that?" she asked.

"Let's just say that there is some bad blood and he can't be happy that I am the man who ended up with you three." Jack explained. He ran away, shouting orders at just about everyone as he went. Karen decided it was best to prepare herself for whatever was about to come. Again, she was joined by Tony and Josh on the main deck just before the other ship was even with theirs'.

"No camping this time, Tony." Karen said to him. He whipped his head around only to be met with a little grin on Karen's face. He smiled. Josh laughed, quietly. They stopped laughing as they saw the sinister looking ship come into view. Not as grandiose and perfect as the English vessel was, and yet it seemed all the more intimidating. Its black sails stood in stark contrast to their foggy surroundings. It was strange how deathly silent it was. All crewmen stood poised and ready to battle, and yet right now all there was to be heard was the flapping sails and the creaking of the ships. Josh gripped and regripped the two pistols that he had been given for the fight. As more and more of the _Black Maiden _came into view, Jack's crew noticed a man standing on the railing of the other ship. Only one man, yet standing where he was made him seem god-like among the others of his ship. He held a sword loosely at his side with the other hand gripping the shrouds of his ship. He was a very sinister looking man with a long scar along his forehead and cheek. He looked like the pirate they had all read about in story books. He looked like what Tony, Karen, and Josh had always envisioned as the "bad guy". His expression was icy cold yet, at the same time, filled with fiery hate. Jack's crew as well as Josh, Karen and Tony returned the expression. The _Black Maiden _was now completely even with Jack's ship. It slowed to a stop. Both crews just waited for the other to make the first move. The tension surrounding them all was as thick as the enveloping fog around them. Each pirate was a taught slingshot ready to fire at any moment. Finally, the John Ripper spoke. His voice was much deeper than the friends had expected it to be.

"All we want are those stowaways, Sparrow. Hand them over and no harm will come to you or your crew." He said, very matter-of-factly. Jack jumped up on the railing.

"Afraid I can't do that, mate." He said.

"And why would that be, _mate_?" The Ripper asked.

"Well, these little buggers are extremely useful around the ship and I just couldn't part with them, you see." Jack explained.

"Enough games, Sparrow. The brats, or you and your whole crew. Take your pick." Ripper said waving his sword menacingly at Jack.

"Are you sure those are my only two options?" Jack asked. Ripper would take no more.

"Yes." He said in a low tone before leaping across the gap right at Jack. Jack jumped backwards and drew his sword. Both crew threw up a thunderous battle cry and started flying across the gap as well. Jack and Ripper were fighting so quickly that their swords were a blur. It made perfect sense why they were fighting so fiercely. In essence, they were both fighting for the biggest treasure in the world. The both would do anything to get it. With one last powerful stroke, Ripper sent Jack sprawling to the deck. He held his sword at Jack's throat.

"I gave you the choice, Sparrow. Now I get two things I have longed for. The treasure of the Incas…and your head." Ripper said, gravely. He drew his sword back for the final blow. Jack wanted to close his eyes but found that they seemed glued open. Ripper began the downswing on the final blow, but was stopped short as he heard a loud clang. He followed the other sword up the tan, muscular forearms and saw Josh's face glaring back at him.

"I really don't think you should be treating my captain in that awful manner." Josh said, sarcastically. Ripper took a step back and now pointed his sword at Josh. Josh did the same.

"So, you're one of the three little prophecies." Ripper presumed.

"Looks that way." Josh replied. The two men continued to circle each other.

"You and your friends are very important, do you know that?" Ripper asked.

"I don't need _you _to tell me that." Josh shot back.

"I understand this sea-slime has been putting you three to work on his ship. I would never do that to all of you. On my ship, ye'd be treated like royalty." Ripper said, enticingly.

"Do I look stupid to you? Why on earth would I trust a pirate like you?" Josh asked.

"You already have trusted I pirate like me." Ripper replied, gesturing at Jack.

"He is nothing like you. Jack is a good man." Josh insisted.

"What makes you so sure, lad? The opinion you seem to carry of Jack in not a popular one." Ripper said.

"Popular opinion isn't always the truth." Josh said. With that Josh lunged at Ripper. He easily blocked him and slashed at Josh's torso. Josh leaped backwards to avoid the swipe and as soon as it was past he lunged in again. Ripper knocked Josh sword off of its path. With his free hand Josh slugged Ripper across the face sending him stumbling backward.

"I must say I have never seen form quite like that. Come now, boy. You fight like a damn caveman!" Ripper said, infuriated.

"Wrong…I fight like a pirate." Josh corrected. Ripper lunged at Josh with such intensity and such rage that one could almost see the fog around them burn away. Josh could do little more than block the attacks now. Suddenly he felt like a child fighting a full-grown man. Josh backed up until his back met the rail of the ship. Ripper knocked Josh's sword into the ocean. Josh had both hands on the rail and was forced to lean back further and further as Ripper's sword got closer and closer to his chest. Ripper cracked and evil smile.

"Who's the pirate now?" Ripper asked.

"Present." Came a voice from behind him as a hand shot up into Josh's view. Ripper turned to reveal Karen standing sword poised, free hand in the air, and that cocky little grin on her face. Josh loved that smile. Ripper turned all the way around.

"I don't have time to deal with you, girl." He said, drawing his pistol.

"Josh!" called Jack. Jack tossed Josh a sword. Just as Ripper was pointing the pistol at Karen, Josh came around the side of him and, with one mighty slash, hacked away Ripper's arm. He screamed and with the adrenaline pumping, turned to make a swipe at Josh. Josh dodged and continued to back up as the slashes continued. As Josh hit the wall of the crew quarters, one of the slashes hit its mark. The sword sliced across Josh's chest. He cussed as he gripped the wound. Just as the final blow was to be struck, Karen stepped between Josh and Ripper and blocked the strike. She cried out slightly as she struggled with man across form her. Then she twisted her sword in just such a way that sent Ripper's flying from his hand. He backed up, injured and embarrassed. The rest of the fighting had stopped and Ripper's entire crew gathered around. Karen's expression lacked the slightest emotion. Her eyes seemed to boar through Ripper. All the pirates had gone silent again. Josh, Karen, and Ripper all just stood there for a moment, sweating and out of breath. Karen glanced over at the _Black Maiden_. It had floated away partially. Her gaze returned to evil man in front of her. The man who had just tried to kill one of her best friends.

"Take a swim." She said in an icy tone, gesturing to the side of the ship.

"But, Lass the--" Ripper was cut off.

"I SAID GET YOUR THIEVIN' ASSES IN THE WATER!" Karen shouted at the top of her lungs. In the crowd of pirates, Tony jumped. He had never heard such anger come from Karen. Josh's eyes were wide as well. With that Ripper ran to the side of the ship and leaped over the railing. His crew followed his example. The rest of Jack's crew all gave a cheer as they rushed to the railing and taunted the other pirates. Karen turned to Josh. The intense anger that had been there only a moment before had been replaced by just as intense concern.

"Are you alright?" she asked, pawing at Josh's gash.

"I think so, I just need to get patched up a little." He said. She nodded and looked again at the wound.

"Hold on right here for a sec." She said as she ran over to Mr. Gibbs. Josh sat down and leaned back against the wall. Tony came over and sat next to him. His eyes were still wide.

"Oh my God. Did you see that?" Tony asked. Josh laughed.

"See what, dude? A lot just happened." Josh replied.

"The way she freaked out on that creeper that was about to chop you. My God." Tony said, rubbing his forehead.

"Yeah, that was really something." Josh said, trying to brush it off. Tony smiled.

"She must really care about you, man." Tony observed. Josh looked aver at Karen was getting first aid supplied from Gibbs. Tony was right. She did really care for him. And he really cared for her. He was so afraid that she didn't care about him in the same way. He did love her, but she would never know. He was too afraid to let her ever know.

"Come on, Cowboy. Let's go bang out those dents." Karen said, as she returned with the bandages and a bottle of some brown liquid. Both boys just stared up at her for a minute. Her brow furrowed.

"What?" she asked, chuckling slightly. Josh shook his head.

"Oh, nothing. Yeah, will you help me out with that stuff?" Josh asked.

"No problem." She said helping him up.

"See ya later, Tony." They both said.

"See ya in a few, guys." Tony said. He watched them both walk away and into the crew quarters. He had always felt as though there were something between the two of them. Finally, they were starting to see it, too. One of the crewmen tossed him a bottle of rum to celebrate the victory they had just won. Tony stood up and looked in the window at Josh and Karen. She had him sitting on a table and was dabbing the liquid into the gash ever so gently. He had never seen two people that belonged together as much as they did. He smiled as he popped the cork out of the bottle of rum.


	8. Part of the Crew

"That ought to do it." Karen said as she finished tying the bandage around Josh's chest. She hopped up on the table next to him as he put his arms down and examined her work.

"Good job, Kar. Thanks a lot. Where'd you learn to do this." He said.

"I took a first aid class in high school, remember?" she asked with a grin trying to hide her pride.

"Oh yeah. Man, that seems like forever ago." He said. Karen's smile faded. Suddenly she looked very sad.

"Yeah, it does." She admitted. The two friends sat there in silence for a while. It had seemed like a very long time ago. The time had caused them to grow apart. It was difficult to explain what had been lost. It was difficult because the thing hadn't really been tangible to begin with. They had lost the ability to predict the other's next move. They had lost the ability to read each other. They couldn't feel the ability until it was gone and yet the gap was one that each could feel very deeply. They had all heard it said that "you can't go home again" an each thought that they had already proven that to be just a myth. They had all come home and everything had indeed seemed normal. It wasn't until they all got back together that they realized that something was amiss. They realized that that phrase can mean something different for everybody. For them, it meant that their friendship would never be the same. Oh sure, it would always be there, but over time it would fade. They would all meet new people, have different lives and experiences. This would turn them into different people and before long, they would no longer have anything in common. Each would remember fondly what had once been, but they would surely lose it.

"I am really glad we came here." Josh said, breaking the silence. Karen snapped back to reality.

"Are you sure about that?" she joked, gesturing at his bandages. He laughed for only a moment before his face became serious. Karen was confused as to why he had done this. He put his hand on top of hers which was on the edge of the table. She looked over at him with a nearly afraid look on her face. He only smiled back.

"I am absolutely sure about that." He answered, voice full of conviction. The two just gazed at each other for a moment. Again, they were trying to come up with the other's next move and coming up with no answers. Even if they had been able to read each other, it would have been useless because both of them were trying just as hard to come up with their own next move. This felt so perfect and yet imperfect at the same time. Both had been denying feelings like these for so long that they were practically programmed to resist. Both wanted to just let this happen. Both wanted to break down the walls and just let this be. Both wanted to just lean over and…

"Hey there, pirate and pirette." Tony said bursting in the door. Although their hands were out of sight of Tony, they suddenly seemed like matching poles of a magnet. Karen remained seated on the table as Josh walked over to his hammock where his shirt had been slung.

"Hey, Tony." Karen and Josh said simultaneously. Josh pulled the shirt over his head.

"Did I interrupt anything?" Tony asked. Karen was worried only for a moment before considering that it was Tony and he probably was genuinely clueless.

"Naw, man. Karen was just getting me all fixed up. What's goin' on?" Josh asked.

"I just came in to get you guys. There is a hell of a party on the main deck and I thought you two might like to come. Especially you miss I-can-down-a-whole-bottle-of-straight-rum-if-the-mood-serves. Get out here!" Tony said, before disappearing back onto the main deck. Karen looked over at Josh. Both just shook their heads and smiled. Tony was probably the least changed of any of them and they were both happy to have him around. He sort of served as a reminder of the way that things were. Whenever they were with Tony, it didn't seem as if they had been apart at all. Tony made it seem as though they could just pick up right where they left off. While both of them knew that this wasn't true, when Tony was there, it was. Without another word, they followed Tony onto the main deck.

As promised, there was indeed one hell of a party going on. As the friends later found out, pirates had a huge celebration whenever they won a victory over another pirate crew. This time was no different. To the friends, the pirates seemed to be very happy people. In any case they were having more fun than the powdered wigs were having in their tea parties, wearing clothes that didn't fit, and so concerned about social graces that they could barely make conversation. Pirate parties were unlike any, the friends had ever known. As soon as Josh and Karen reached the main deck, they were each rewarded with a bottle of rum, a pirates answer for everything. They all danced, drank, and sang as the sun slowly set. Just as the sun was dipping below the horizon, Jack appeared on the upper deck.

"Avast, ye filthy thieves!" Jack called. The crew gathered around, slightly confused. Jack had never interrupted a victory celebration before. What was going on?

"What is it, Jack?" asked Mr. Gibbs.

"We are running low on supplies!" Jack announced. Karen, Josh and Tony looked around and noticed that the pirates were all grinning as if they knew what was going to happen next.

"Where must we make port, dear Captain Sparrow?" Gibbs asked in sing-songy voice. Jack smirked.

"Port Ojo de Cordos." Jack said. A giant cheer went up from the crew.

"What's Port Ojo de Cordos?" asked Tony, as the crew all scurries about preparing to dock.

"Have ye ever heard of Tortuga, lad?" one man asked.

"Yeah." Tony answered.

"Port Ojo de Cordos is ten-fold of everything Tortuga has. You and your friends are in for a treat. But, keep a wary eye. I've heard rumors that the English Guard has just taken control of the port. Only a slight damper, though. Ye'll still have the time of your lives." The man said. Suddenly, Tony was tapped on the shoulder. He turned to see Jack.

"Hey, Jack. Sounds like this port you picked out is gonna be bumpin'." Tony said. Jack had no idea what "bumpin'" meant, but he thought it best just to let it go for now.

"That it is, son. Listen, would you mind rounding up your little friends and coming up to my cabin?" Jack asked.

"No problem. Why?" Tony asked.

"Well, we can't very well, be seen walking around Ojo de Cordos with three of the most valuable stowaways in the world now, can we?" Jack observed as he walked away. Tony did as he was told and was back at Jack's cabin very quickly. Jack invited them in and got right to the point.

"Now it has come to my attention that you three are a bit conspicuous and since we be making port at one of the pirate hubs of the world, it is very important that you blend in. So here was the best I could do from my humble wardrobe and I suggest you all get dressed. We'll be there shortly." With that, Jack left the cabin. Slung over each of three chairs was an outfit fit for a pirate. Each of the friends grinned at each other and grabbed a pile. Karen was forced to retreat to a little secluded corner of the cabin to change into her clothes. When she was finished she came out to see Josh standing, in a pair of weathered old boots and pants with a big hole in the thigh. On his belt he wore a sword and a pistol. He wore a loosely fitting shirt with a vest over the top of it. On his head he wore a bandana in the style of a head band with his sandy brown hair spiking over the top. Tony was wearing an open jacket that came down to about his mid-hamstring over a loose shirt just like Josh's. On his shoulder was slung a musket and the jacket partially covered a sword. On his head he wore a full bandana covering his hair. They both looked at Karen who was wearing boots that came to about her knee, she was given a slightly more form fitting pair of pants either from Ana-Maria or from Jack's younger days. Her belt was like Josh's with a sword and a pistol. She too wore a loose fitting shirt with the sleeves rolled up. She wore a vest over top of the shirt and a bandana covering the top of her head with unruly strands of dirty-blonde hair sticking out the bottom. They all just stood there for a moment examining each other before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. It was only laughter partially because it was funny. The laughter was mostly out of disbelief. Here they were. They were on a ship with the POTC crew and now they were really a part of the crew. They were all happier than they had ever been. It wasn't due to being with the pirates though. They were happy because they were together. Although it felt like they were all about to go trick-or-treating, it was feeling more and more like the good old days all the time. Each new day was turning into the happiest of their lives.

Interrupting their hilarity, there came a knock on the door. The door opened to reveal Ana-Maria.

"Jack told me to come and get ye…oh, look at you guys." Ana said, with a grin. "Ye all look like real pirates. And you, Karen. Ye remind me of a younger me. Only one thing's missin'."

"What's that?" Karen asked as Ana examined her, trying to put her finger on what was missing.

"Ah, I got it." She exclaimed. She walked over to Jack's closet and pulled out one of his old three-cornered hats. She came back to Karen a plopped it down on her head. Karen laughed as she straightened it.

"There ye go. A murderous thief if I ever saw one. Come on you three, we make port in five minutes." Ana said, hastily leaving the cabin. Karen gave the boys a cocky little smile.

"I didn't see her give _you _guys hats." She said, walking out the door. The boys shook their heads and smiled as they followed Karen out onto the deck.

As promised, as they emerged onto the deck, they could see the Port in the not-so-distant distance. The friends were awed by how big it was. It seemed to stretch five miles down the coast and three miles inward. The sun had just set and already they could hear the rowdy sounds of a thousand bars and parties. As they pulled into the port, the noise became even greater and the friends knew that they were in for the time of their lives. The ship was anchored and all the pirates walked down the gangplank each destined for they crew's favorite bar, "The Salty Dog." The friends all followed the crew. It seemed that as they walked everyone was staring at them. They all suddenly came to a realization. Look at how dirty everyone was and look at them. They all reached down to their feet and grabbed a handful of dirt. They all spread the stuff on their face and hands. That was better. Now no one was giving them those weird looks anymore. They continued to follow the crew until they reached the Salty Dog. They walked into the smoke filled building and it reminded them how major it was to be walking in with Captain Jack Sparrow. Every eye in the bar suddenly seemed to be on them. Karen, Josh and Tony appeared slightly timid. Gibbs noticed.

"Easy kids. Their just checkin' things out. Most of em' mean no harm. The crew and I will keep an eye out for ye." Gibbs explained. The friends all nodded.

"Well, in that case. I am going to go check out the bar. You two have fun." Tony said, as he followed about half the crew to the bar. Josh and Karen began to wander the bar. Just as they were walking by, a man rose from a card table and left. Without even thinking about it Karen plopped down in the open seat.

"What be the game tonight, gents?" she asked. The men all looked at each other with smirks on their faces.

"We be playin' Poque, lass. This table be no place for a lovely lady such as yourself." The man across from her explained. Karen looked confused for a moment. Josh leaned down.

"It's just poker, Kar. The French called it 'Poque'. Take these guys for all their worth." Josh encouraged. Karen leaned in onto the table so the light cast a strange shadow on her face.

"It just so happens, sir, that where I come from, I clean the men out every night at Poque. I'd like to do the same here if ye don't mind." Karen asked. The men glanced at each other and mockingly back at Karen. They would very much enjoy taking her money.

"Fine, lass." The man said, as he dealt the cards. She picked up her cards and looked slightly disappointed. The men went around the table and took their second deals. Karen took three cards and as she picked them up, she looked about the same as she had before. The men all laid down their hands. The highest was a flush. Karen sat on elbow on the table and rubbed her forehead as the hand was laid down. The men all waited for her to lay down her cards.

"Not quite the cards ye were expecting, lass?" asked one man. The others all laughed. Karen laughed, too, though perhaps in sarcasm.

"No, sir. Definitely not the cards I was expecting." she said as she slapped a full house onto the table and raked in the pile of shillings on the table. And that was basically how the rest of the night went for Karen. For some reason, it seemed that she couldn't lose. The men around her kept betting whatever they could just trying to beat her even once. A few hours later, when Karen had a whole sack full of swag, she announced that this would be her final hand. As the cards were dealt, the man across from her looked confident. He took no cards on his second deal. He looked Karen straight in the eyes as he did this, an arrogant smirk on his face. Karen leaned back in her seat and rested one arm over the back of the chair. The dealer asked how many she wanted. She glared at the man across from her.

"None." She said, in a low tone. The other two men threw in their garbage hands. The final man smiled and leaned forward.

"Allow me to show first, Love." He said, each word dripping in sarcastic charm. He laid onto the table an all-ace four of a kind. Karen's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. She tipped her hat back on her head and sat back in her seat, a shocked look on her face.

"My God, that is a good hand." Karen marveled.

"Care to show us your hand, Lass?" the man asked, smile growing bigger by the second.

"I really don't think that's necessary." Karen said.

"Oh, but it is. Come now, Darling. Lay your hand." The man said, barely able to wait to wrap his arms around the giant pot. Karen looked reluctant.

"If you insist." She said. She fanned out her cards in her hand, so they would all be visible when she laid them out. She gently laid the cards on the table and the three men felt as if their hearts had just been ripped from their chests. A Straight Flush. The man across from Karen looked up to see her leaning back in her chair, arms crossed. She raised her eyebrows quickly at him. The man was furious. All of a sudden he stood up and drew a pistol. No sooner than he had done this, Karen slammed the butt of her hand into the side of the pistol and drew her sword. The shot rang out grabbing the attention of every man in the bar. With one quick motion she had hacked away the man's arm. He fell backwards screaming in pain. The other two men reached for their pistols. Karen did the same and was a split-second quicker.

"Hand's to the roof, gents." She ordered. The men did as they were told. The bar went quiet. Jack swaggered over to the scene.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked, trying to smooth things over.

"There wasn't until this asshole decided to be a hero." Karen said, gesturing to the man who was still howling in pain. Jack noticed the pot.

"I take it you won that then?" Jack asked.

"Yeah. This, too." Karen said, kicking the bag at her feet.

"Is this your captain, lass?" asked one of the men.

"That he is." Karen said. The man then looked at Jack with a frightened face.

"We meant nothin' by it, Captain Sparrow. We don't want no trouble." The man stammered. Jack suddenly went into merciful mode.

"Very well. But, I must warn ye, if ye try anything like that again on my little friend here, she'll see to it that ye lose something far more valuable." Jack explained. The man looked nervously at Karen. She winked. She and Josh then followed Jack to the bar.

"What part of blend in did you two not understand?" asked Tony with a grin.

Just as they had all ordered their drinks, the doors to the bar burst open. It was the English guard they had heard the shot and come ready to make arrests. The three friends all turned at the bar and saw on of the most frightening things they had seen this whole time. The guards who were in the bar were the exact guards that they had fought and humiliated only about a week before. The guards recognized them as well.

"Oh shit." Said the three, in unison. And with that they were off. They and the entire crew bolted out the back door of the bar followed closely by the huge troop of guards. They darted in and out of back alleys. Shots rang out from all around them since most of them _were _wanted dead or alive. As the three ran, a sound met their ears that shook them to the core. It was Jack. His scream echoed down the alley. Tony stopped short and whirled around just in time to see Jack slump over and the guards approach him. Tony knew he didn't stand a chance if he tried to go back for Jack. He knew it. Yet, some unexplainable force drove him now. It was unlike any that he had ever felt. He whirled his rifle around into his hands and began firing wildly at the guards. He sprinted towards them screaming out of total fury as he ran. The guards were too shocked to shoot back. They didn't expect a pirate to be so loyal. In any case, this boy was digging his own grave. Tony reached the first man and punched him right across the face. The next man got one punch on Tony before Tony blasted him, too. The next two proved to be Tony's match. Just as he had finished off the second man, Tony was blindsided by a punch from his right that had him seeing stars. Tony tried to rise, but fell back to the ground as his vision spun. The guards continued to pummel him as he lay there on the ground. Tony was only a half-step away from unconsciousness when he heard a sound. It was a gun shot. He had no idea who it was or where it came from. All he knew was that the guards had seemingly forgotten about him for a moment. Josh and Karen stood at the end of the alley shooting at the guards. After a flurry of shots, it seemed that both sides were out of ammo. Karen and Josh disappeared behind a wall for a moment and then reemerged swords in the air and sprinting towards the guards. The guards quickly drew their swords and prepared to fight. And fight they did. As they fought, no one noticed two Jack's crew come and carry him to safety. Josh and Karen managed to overwhelm about five guards, but as more and more men heard the commotion, the horde of English troops seemed to never cease. Karen and Josh didn't stand a chance. Before they even knew what was happening, they had both been disarmed and clapped in irons. They sat there on their knees as the waited for the captain to approach. The captain was the very same one that they had encountered in their first battle. Karen and Josh were both afraid. He had the power now and there was no telling how he'd exploit it.

"Seems as though your luck has finally run out, children." The Captain said.

"Only for the time being, jackass." Karen spat back.

"Is that so? Hmm. Well, let's just say I have a sneaky hunch that it will get worse before it gets better." The captain said.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Josh asked.

"Don't worry. You'll find out. You and your little pirate friends are in for quite a rude shock." The Captain said. There was frightening omniscience in the Captain's voice. He had a hell of a plan cooking and Josh and Karen felt helpless to stop it. The captain began to walk away.

"Whatever you're planning, we are going to fight you at every step." Karen called after him. The captain laughed sarcastically.

"You two won't." he said. With that Karen and Josh were both knocked unconscious by a blow to the head.

The two awoke a few hours later in a haze. It was still night but from glow of the pale moonlight, they could tell that they were in a jail cell. The shadow cast bar shaped shadows over the whole cell.

"Karen, are you awake?" she heard no more than a second after she awoke.

"Josh? Wh-Where's Tony?" she asked.

"He's in here, too. I guess he's still out." Josh said. Karen didn't say another word, but Josh could hear that she was crying.

"Karen, come here." Josh said. She crawled over to him and leaned against his shoulder. He reached his arms around her and held her close. She felt safe. Even with all the danger that awaited them, she felt as if it was all miles and miles away. She buried her face in his chest and cried. For his part, he could do nothing but hold her. He wanted to help but he didn't know how. He wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, but he didn't know. He wanted to stand up, rip the door off the cell, and be the hero, but he couldn't. He wanted to at least tell her that he had a plan for getting out of here, but he didn't. Her shoulders shuttered as she cried and he held her tighter. Neither of them spoke for a very long time. It seemed as though, during this span, no words were needed. All they had was each other, and at that moment, that was all they needed.

"What happened, Josh? Why did they just run away? They could have come back. They could have fought or done something." Karen said.

"They're pirates, Kar. We chose to be with them. I guess this is the price." Josh said quietly.

"What's gonna happen now?" Karen asked, slightly muffled by Josh's shirt. Josh felt now as if he was about to shed tears. He choked them back as best as he could before he spoke.

"I don't know, Kar. I really don't know." He said. No more words were spoken between the two that night. Josh rested his head atop Karen's and slowly, both of them fell asleep.

Across town, in a small hole in the wall pub, sat a man that no one had ever seen before in this town. He had but one hand and the only other distinguishable feature on him was the scar. A young guard came running in off of the streets. He walked right over to the scarred man's table and took as seat. The young man had a nearly giddy look on his face.

"Well?" said the scarred man, trying to show no emotion.

"He got them, Captain Ripper." The young man said.


	9. More Than You Know

Each was suddenly cold and soaked as they were rudely awakened by the bucket of water. Each gasped out of total surprise as they frantically glanced around trying to remember where they were. They were met with the cruel eyes that each had seen in their nightmares. One set belonged to the English captain and the other to a far more frightening captain.

"Good Morning, Children." The English Captain said in a mocking tone. The three friends just sat there still in shock from the wake-up call. Slowly it sank in that the Captain was standing there with Ripper yet it seemed that they were on the same side. Why?

"I see you've made a new friend, Cap. It must be nice to finally have friends in high places." Karen said cockily as she approached the bars. She was followed closely by Josh and Tony. The Captain only returned her grin.

"You children will soon become good friends with Captain Ripper as well. You see, he has agreed to pay your…_very _high bail." The Captain said. Ripper grinned widely. The three friends took a step back. They appeared fearful only for a moment before putting on the poker face that they had become so accustomed to. Karen went so far as to smile. Then a laugh.

"You hear that, guys? We have a _very_ high bail. We must be pretty damn important. How's it feel Ripper? To have your future reputation riding on a bunch of kids?" Karen said, grinning wider and wider as she approached the bars. She leaned forward onto them nonchalantly. "Can't be any worse than being forced overboard by a girl."

Ripper reached through the bars and grabbed her by the shirt. He yanked her up against the bars and pulled a knife up to her throat. Josh and Tony took a step forward but stopped the instant they saw the knife. Karen, surprised by what had just happened, stood there, hands on the bars, eyes wide. Ripper, who only a moment ago had been infuriated, now slightly grinned. The position he had Karen in now was very much the same as he had them all. He had the power now…and he was not going to waste it.

"Hmm. I am not denying your strength, lass, so do not take offense. But it will be a very…_interesting_ experience breaking you. A challenge as it were." He said, almost excitedly. Karen's expression shifted from fear to anger.

"More than you know." Karen said in a low tone. Ripper smiled and shoved her backwards.

"We'll see." He said back. The English captain unlocked the cell and in walked about ten of Ripper's men. The friends struggled, but with hardly any food or sleep working for them, they were quickly overtaken. Each was dragged out of the cell shouting every obscenity they could think of. Ripper stood there for a moment with the Captain.

"Where on earth did they come from?" the English captain asked.

"Another place and time, Captain. One that haunts the dreams of geniuses and madmen." Ripper said. The Captain only nodded, not really caring one way or the other.

"Oh yes, about the bail…"the Captain started.

"Ah yes, I nearly forgot." Ripper said as he began to rummage through his jacket.

"I believe the bail was set at fifty thousand pounds." The Captain said. Ripper stopped searching and looked up.

"Dear me, it seems as though I have forgotten my payment. I hope this will do." He said. With that, he pulled a pistol out of his jacket and placed a bullet right between the Captain's eyes. Ripper walked away back towards his ship.

"Fifty thousand, my ass." He uttered, as he slipped his pistol back into its holster.

* * *

"Ye know I'm not one for heroics, Jack, but we must do something. We're all they got!" Gibbs argued inside Jack's cabin.

"And now our lives are all we got! And I happen to value mine very much, thank you." Jack shot back.

"I agree with Gibbs. It be our fault that they've surely fallen into Ripper's hands by now, and we have to be the ones to get them out." Ana fired.

"And there be the matter of the treasure." Gibbs added. Jack stopped right in his tracks. Gibbs glanced over at Ana who looked back mischievously. They both approached him.

"Ah, yes. The treasure." Ana said enticingly. "That long lost treasure of the Incas. The one so large and grandiose that some men would die of happiness just to look at it."

"The entire royal savings of the Thousand year empire." Gibbs added. Ana stepped out in front of Jack.

"The one your about to turn away because you're a lily-livered little swabie." Ana taunted. Jack appeared offended.

"Does valuin' me life make me a swabie?" Jack asked.

"Surely not. Abandonin' the treasure _and _those kids does." Ana fired back. Jack had nothing else to say, but he _would _have the last word. He straightened himself up as best he could.

"I really don't like you very much." He said. He turned around and walked out onto the upper deck.

"Ahoy, lads! We must seek out the ship of Jonathan Ripper!" Jack called. The crew seemed unsure.

"_We _must seek _them _out, cap'n?" One man asked.

"Are ye deaf, man?! YES. Do ye not want the kids back?!" Jack asked. There was no response from the crew.

"Do ye not want them back so we can get the treasure?!" Jack rephrased. The crew roared and immediately began scurrying around, preparing to change course. Jack just watched them for a moment as he leaned against the railing. Ana came up next to him and did the same.

"What about you, Sparrow?" she asked.

"What about me, what, love?" he replied.

"Is it just about the treasure for you?" she asked.

"What else would it be about, darling?" He said as he began to swagger away. She grabbed him by the arm. He turned.

"Jack, tell me the truth. Do ye care nothin' for those kids? Is money all ye need?" she asked. Jack's eyes lowered. He looked back up at Ana after a beat. His eyes were completely serious.

"Of course, I care about them, Ana. Those kids remind me…they remind me so much of us when we were young. They're so…God. Their so young, Ana. I don't want nothin' to happen to them out here." He said. Ana looked at him and could tell that he was telling the truth. Jack noticed the look she was giving him and put the mask back on.

"But, I gotta say, the treasure is right up there, too." He added, as he truned agin to walk away. Ana scoffed.

"You are some piece of work, Jack Sparrow." She called after him.

"More than you know, love." He answered with a sly grin.

The ship turned against the waves as it made its way back towards port Ojo de Cordos. Back on the same path that Ripper would surely be taking. Where he would be in only days.

* * *

"LET US OUT, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!" Josh yelled into the ceiling boards. It seemed this was all he could do at this point. They had been in this dark place for nearly eight hours though each one of them had lost track. Tony sat in a corner of the tiny cell with his knees drawn up and his head in his hands. Karen jumped up, grabbed, and hung on the bars covering the top of the cell. She swung her feet up and kicked the side bars with all her might. The strength of the kick forced her grip loose and she landed back on the ground.

"I think they moved that time." She said, hopefully.

"That's what you said six times ago." Tony uttered.

"At least I'm doing something." Karen shot back.

"No you're not. _I_ still see perfectly in tact bars there." Tony said, patronizingly.

"Damn it, Tony! What is your problem?! Ever since we got here, you just think we should just lay down and die!" Karen yelled. Tony stood up. Josh rested his head against the bars of the cell.

"It's better than running myself raw so it's that much easier for them to kill me!" Tony shouted.

"It doesn't mean you have to tear me down for doing what I think is right!" Karen shouted louder than before.

"Well, when 'what you think is right' is stupid..!"

"WHY DO YOU JUST WANT TO QUIT?!" Karen yelled at the top of her lungs.

"WHY DO YOU WANT TO KEEP GOING?!" Tony replied just as loudly. It was too dark to see it, but Karen's eyes would have told Tony that he was about hair away from getting punched in the face. Josh stepped in before anything could happen.

"Guys what the hell are we doin'? Huh?" Josh asked. Suddenly everyone looked surprised. It just hit them what the hell they were doing. They had been fighting. They had never fought before. God, not even once. What was happening to them? This place was supposed to bring them together, not drive them apart. They all took a step back from one another.

"I-I think we'd better get some sleep." Josh suggested. Karen and Tony only nodded. They all lay down on the hard, wooden floor and did their best to get some sleep.

The door opened so slowly that it avoided its usual creak. The four men crept over to cell where the three little prophecies had finally fallen asleep.

"Which does the Captain want, again?" one man whispered.

"The girl." Another replied. He unlocked the cell door and all four men rushed in. Stealth would not be an issue for much longer. The three friends stirred. Karen rolled over in just enough time to see the giant hand reach down and grab her arm. She gasped, in just as much shock as she had been that morning with the bucket of water. Tony and Josh stood up as quickly as they could but were met with three of the men holding them into the back of the cell. The fourth man had gathered Karen into a monstrous bear-hug and lifted her off of her feet. She writhed around and screamed as he carried her from the cell. She struggled with all her might, but was no match for the mammoth of a man. All she could do was cry out for Josh and Tony. She called to them for help though she knew they couldn't. When she realized this, all she had left was to scream "no." That was all. He backed out the door to the room with her in his arms. Her voice grew softer as he carried her away, but she could still be heard. Suddenly Josh and Tony were each dealt a blow to face that sent their vision spinning. They fell back against the bars as the last three man made their way out of the cell. They locked the door behind them and laughed as the walked out of the room. The room door was left open and the boys would soon know why.

"Tony, Tony. You alright, man?" Josh asked.

"I never said I was sorry, Josh. I never said it. I never said…" Tony rambled.

"What do you mean, Tony?" he asked.

"The fight and Karen. I…I never said I was sorry. God…no!" Tony said, standing up.

"Tony, I'm sure…" Josh started, but was cut off.

"I never said it! Oh God." Tony took his head in his hands for a moment then ran to the bars of the cell and slammed them with his fists. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! KAREN, I'M SORRY!!! DAMN IT!!! AAAHHH!!!"

All Josh could do was watch as Tony screamed and pounded the bars of the cell out of sheer anger, regret, and helplessness. Finally, he broke down. He slunk to the ground still weakly hitting the bars and whispering "I'm sorry." He sat there on his knees and wept. Josh came up and sat next to him. Josh put his arm over Tony's shuddering shoulders. Without even thinking about it, Tony reached over and hugged Josh. Josh hugged him back. Although it was never spoken and although they were the same age, Josh had always been sort of like Tony's older brother. The bond they shared fit that description perfectly. They needed each other right then. Both were more afraid than they had ever been in their lives. Suddenly, they heard a scream come from a distant place on the ship. Neither wanted to believe it, but they both knew it was her. Tony's cried harder and Josh held him tighter. Finally, Josh pulled Tony back.

"Tony…Tony! Listen to me." Josh said, snapping Tony out of it enough to talk to him.

"Tony, Karen knows that you didn't mean what you said, do you understand me?" Josh said, sternly. Tony nodded.

"Now, she would want us to be strong right now, alright?" Josh said. Another distant scream shook them to the core. Tony's eyes lowered.

"HEY! She needs us to be strong, Tony! We are gonna be strong for her! You got that?!" Josh said. Tony nodded. He now had lost all expression from his face. He looked totally drained. Completely numb. He leaned back against the bars and stared blankly at nothing. Josh said cross-legged and stared at the door of the room which had been left open so they could hear her scream.

"Josh?" asked Tony after a beat.

"Yeah, Tony?" Josh answered.

"Do you love her?" Tony asked. Josh rested his head on the bars in front of him. He exhaled deeply as a tear ran down his cheek.

"More than you know." He replied. "More than you know."

Both of them tried to sleep, but all through the night they were awakened by that awful sound of pain and suffering. Once in a while, it was one of their names. The ship was a quiet place at night. The worst part was that they had no idea what was happening to her. It could have been a thousand things that both tried not to think about. They had heard it said that those who are afraid of the dark, were truly only afraid of the unknown. Both were suddenly deathly afraid of the dark. The only thing that was worse than the hearing the sound was when they heard it no longer. It was strange, but both of them prayed to hear her scream again. They needed some proof that the worst had not happened. A billion horrible thoughts ran through their head though each tried desperately to block them. The sun slowly rose, yet both were still afraid of the dark.


	10. Each Passing Moment

Jack stood at the helm of the Pearl and gazed off into the distance. He hoped that each new moment would be the one that brought Ripper's ship into view. They had sailed on straight through…what had it been? Three days? Dark circles emerged from beneath Jack's already darkened eyes. All he could think about those kids. He had been so focused on the treasure that he had completely forgotten about them. For the first time in a very long time he felt a slight sting. He felt…what was it called? He had nearly forgotten. It was guilt that he felt. It was worry. It was compassion. Some would have gone so far as to call it love, but Jack had sacrificed that emotion long ago. Or so he thought. He did indeed feel responsible for what happened to the children. Ana thought that he was only running himself ragged because she had basically ordered him to. So did the rest of the crew. Jack was happy to leave it that way. Being accused of kneeling down to a woman wasn't half as bad as admitting that he was risking the lives of every soul on board as well as his own for the sake of something…honorable.

"I got the biscuits ye asked for, Jack." Said Gibbs as he approached.

"Thank ye kindly, Gibbs." Jack replied wearily as he took a bite.

"Care for a drink, Jack?" Gibbs asked as he plopped down onto a stool and took the first swig of a new bottle of rum.

"No thank ye, Gibbs." Jack said, as he took another bite of his biscuit and turned the helm slightly. Gibbs walked over to Jack.

"Ye ain't turned down a drink in all the years I known ye. What's eatin' ye, Jack?" Gibbs asked.

"Nothin' Gibbs. Just drop it." Jack said.

"Jack, I like to think I be more than just first mate Mr. Gibbs to ye. I'm yer friend Jack. Ye can tell me what's botherin' ye." Gibbs said, standing next to Jack. Jack's eyes lowered.

"I feel, Gibbs." Jack said, simply.

"Ye feel what, Jack?" Gibbs asked.

"I feel…sick. I-I feel pain…inside. I had forgotten what that was like." Jack admitted.

"Oh Jack. Ain't nothin' wrong with feelin' the way yer feelin'." Gibbs explained.

"Shouldn't a pirate be above feelings like this?" Jack asked.

"Bein' a pirate ain't got nothin' to do with it, Sparrow. You're human. You're bound to have feelings of…compassion. It's natural." Gibbs replied. "What ye must do is decide how ye want to act on those feelings. _That_ makes a man what he is. Understand?"

"I think so. Thank ye, Gibbs." Jack said. Gibbs nodded as he stood to walk away. He began down the stairs to the main deck, but turned.

"One more thing, Jack." Gibbs said.

"Yes, Mr. Gibbs?" Jack replied.

"Performin' one act of piracy don't make an honorable man into a pirate. I suspect the case be the same for the other way around." Gibbs said. Jack's eyes told Gibbs he had hit the nail on the head as far as Jack's dilemma. He simply smiled and walked away as he took another swig of his rum. Jack smiled to himself and returned his gaze to the horizon as the sun set on another day.

* * *

They had no idea how long they had been there. For all they knew it had been days. The door had finally been shut and now the two just sat there in the dark. There was no point in trying to kill time. Neither of them even wanted to for every passing second was one that seemed to be ticking away on ever seeing Karen again. All they could think about was her. She was the reason neither of them had said a word in hours. She was the reason that they thought not about food though their stomachs fiercely tried to remind them. She was the reason that Tony no longer wanted to simply quit. She was the reason that Josh no longer slept. All he did was stare at the door hoping that each new second would be the one that brought her back through it. The situation left each young man feeling like a helpless child, but the fact was, they could do nothing but wait.

The door flung open with a bang as it hit the wooden wall. The light that poured into the room forced both boys to hide their eyes as they tried to make out what was entering the room. All either of them could see was blobs. This was the only reason they had not sprung to the front of the cell the instant the door had opened. The light had nearly blinded them since they had not seen it in so long. However, they still had their hearing and that was what they relied on most at the moment. They could just barely make out the first blob enter and they heard the rattle-clang of keys. As they heard the clicking of the door being unlocked, they heard what they thought sounded like something dragging across the floor along with more footsteps. The heard the door creak open and two men grunt as if throwing something. It was the next moment that they realized what the dragging sound had been. They heard a thud and a weak grunt as she hit the ground. Then they heard the cell door slam shut and then finally the room door as the friends were again thrust into darkness. The boys slowly opened their eyes and found that they could just barely see. They saw Karen lying in the center of the cell, motionless, save the slow rise and fall of her chest. Both of them crawled over to her quickly, but stopped short not knowing whether it was best to just leave her be or try to wake her. Josh could not contain himself. He reached out with a trembling hand.

"K-Karen?" he said, gently. As his fingers brushed the soft skin she gasped and shied away slightly. Josh drew his hand back quickly unsure of what had just happened. She quickly rolled over as she mumbled something that the boys couldn't make out, but sounded frightened. He reached out and touched her shoulder. She suddenly sat up and scurried to the corner of the cell where she curled up into a ball and sobbed.

"Please just leave me alone! I don't know where the treasure is! I don't! Please stop!!!" she wept, hysterically. Although Josh knew that she wasn't really talking to him, seeing her so frightened broke his heart. It was a rare occasion that he had seen her scared, but never had he seen her like this. He moved closer to her, which only seemed to increase her fear. Her eyes darted around searching the darkness and trying to make out who was approaching her. Josh spoke.

"Karen, it's us. It's Josh and Tony." He said, softly. She seemed to relax slightly, yet still seemed unsure. They could see her brow furrow.

"J-Josh? Tony?" she asked.

"Yes. Karen, it's us." Tony said.

"G-Guys?" she asked again, as if to make sure.

"We're here, Karen." Josh said as he brought Karen into a hug. She hugged him back so tightly he felt as if she would never let go. She sobbed now not out of fear, but out of happiness and relief. She had seen them so many times in her dreams, yet this time was real. She held Josh seemingly endlessly to reassure herself of that fact. Josh was doing the same. All of a sudden, Karen jerked in his grasp and moaned in pain. He let go of her instantly as she sat back.

"Karen, what's wrong?" Josh asked. Karen shook her head.

"Oh, it's…uh, it's just my back. They kind of…well…they worked me over pretty good and…um…" she said, trying to just shrug it off. Josh would not be so easily deterred. He glanced down at his hands and arms and found that they were covered in blood. He looked back up as her as she pulled the shoulder of her torn shirt back over her shoulder.

"Karen, can I see your back?" Josh asked.

"Josh, it's really…" Karen started to protest.

"Please." He said. She couldn't argue any more. Anyway, he didn't want to hurt her. In fact, he wanted nothing but to help. She nodded and slowly turned her back to him.

"Oh, Jesus." Josh uttered as he saw part of the horror she had been through. Her back was covered in welts. Seeing this made Josh's blood boil. He rushed over to her and spun her back around by the shoulders.

"Who did that to you?" he asked, through clenched teeth. Karen had never seen him so angry.

"I don't know, Josh." She said. Josh bowed his head and took deep breaths.

"Oh God." He said as he pulled her in again and hugged her gently. She hugged him back.

"This moment is all I've thought about. It's all that kept me going" She told him.

"Really?" he asked.

"I just wanted to see you guys again." She said. Josh pulled her out of the hug and she moved on to Tony.

"It's all we've wanted too, Karen. I mean not to see _us, _but to…um…you know." Tony joked. Karen laughed.

"I really missed that." She said.

"Karen, about the other day when we fought. I never, well…I never…" Tony started.

"Apology accepted, Tony." Karen said. Tony smiled. Karen smiled back.

"Karen. What…what happened? Wh-What'd they want?" Josh asked. Karen's smile faded as she averted her eyes. She leaned back against the bars of the cell and exhaled deeply.

"They wanted to know where the treasure was. Jack's the only one with the map so…" she explained.

"Did Jack ever show it to you?" Tony asked. Karen only shook her head. Her lower lip began to quiver and her eyes began to fill with tears. Her face filled with rage.

"I tell ya, if I had a FRICKIN' nickel for every time I told em' I didn't know where the DAMN PIECE OF SHIT TREASURE WAS!!!" she exploded, as she smashed the bars with her fists and kicked them at each syllable.

"BUT YA WOULDN'T LISTEN, WOULD YA, BASTARDS?!?!?! I _HAD_ TO BE LYING, RIGHT?" she continued. Josh, who had been watching all this in a numb stupor, snapped back and rushed over to Karen and gathered her into his arms. She tried to wrench loose for only a moment. Josh's strong arms held her in place as he tried desperately to console her.

"Karen, KAREN. It's okay. It's okay." He tried. They both fell to their knees as she stopped struggling. She held onto the arms that held onto her and sobbed into his chest. He stoked her hair and held her tight as she cried. He rubbed his face onto the top of her head, trying not to let Tony see that he was crying, too. After about an hour, Karen had finally calmed down and Josh spoke to her again.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm better. Sorry for the split personality rampage. I-I think I just had a couple thing bottled up." She said with a somewhat half-hearted chuckle. Josh smiled.

"I think it might be best for you to get some sleep." Josh suggested.

"I…I think I'm fine." Karen said.

"No really. I think you really need to grab some z's." Josh insisted.

"I don't want to." Karen said, suddenly sounding frightened. Josh was confused.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I'm…uh, I guess I'm a little…scared." She admitted. Josh took her chin in his fingers and raised her face up so her eyes met his.

"Karen. I am not going to let anything happen to you. Do you understand me?" he said, sternly. The intensity in his eyes made her melt. She nodded. They both just sat there for a long time. Finally she spoke.

"I think I'd better get some sleep." She said.

"Now _that _is a hell of an idea." Josh said with a grin. Karen lay down on the floor and slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"I can't believe you idiots got not one word out of her!" Ripper raved at his men.

"Cap'n, we did everything we could. We tried everything we could think of and exhausted every resource. She got a strong will about her." The man explained. Ripper sat in his cabin and poked at the fire he had in the fireplace.

"How on earth could she have resisted? Where would she get such…?" Ripper stopped as he was struck with the answer to his own question. He grinned to himself.

"Gentlemen. Where do you suppose our bonnie lass gets her courage from?" Ripper asked. The two men looked at each other and shrugged.

"She gets her guts from her friends, gentlemen." Ripper said as he lit a cigar and took the first puff.

"So what must we do Cap'n?" one man asked.

"If a ship has a weak hull, we strike at the hull. A weak mast…we strike at the mast. So if their friendship is their particular weak point…" Ripper started.

"We must strike at that point." One man insinuated.

"Exactly." Ripper said.

"So what are the orders, Cap'n?" the other man asked. Ripper glanced down at the mural he had found in the book. It showed two men and one woman in strange garments. He then noticed something that he hadn't before. The bigger man and the woman were holding hands. Perfect.

"Bring me the larger young lad." Ripper said.

"Right away cap'n." the men said. Ripper grinned to himself. All the riches of the Incas…and it was as good as his.


	11. Numbered Days

The three friends slept that night thinking that Karen's defiance would have sent a message to Ripper. Thinking that because she had told him nothing that that meant either they really didn't know anything or they'd die before they'd betray Jack. The second one wasn't true, but no one else needed to know that. Josh lay between Karen and the door of the drab cell. Nothing would take her from him again. The door opened slowly. So slowly that it avoided its usual creak. Karen was the first to spring awake; having dreamt about that horrible moment so many times that having it actually happen was a great jolt. She leapt over Josh who was just waking up as well. Tony was just rising to his feet from right where Karen used to be. Karen cocked her fist back and slugged the first man to enter the cell. Unprepared for her preparedness, the man spun off to the side and into a corner of the cell. The second man in line tried to grab Karen by the shoulders, but he had forgotten to guard his lower half. Karen exploited this sending him crumpling to the ground. Josh and Tony had gone to work on Karen's first victim since she had not left them much room to do otherwise. Karen continued to pummel the man on the floor. All the friends were screaming and swearing as they pounded the pirates the way they had done in their dreams. Karen was too enraged to notice the man at her feet scrape up a handful of sand from the floor of the cell. He rolled over onto his back and launched the stuff into Karen's eyes. She cried out and stumbled backwards. The third man into the cell followed her and began to pound his blinded competitor. Josh ran over to the man and grabbed him from behind. He threw the man across the cell and advanced towards him ready to rip his face off. Suddenly, a gunshot sounded that froze them all in their tracks.

"That's quite enough of that!" said the fourth man from outside the cell. On either side of him, there was one man with a rifle poised on the cell. The three bloodied pirates made their way out of the cell leaving the friends standing there beaten and out of breath. They all just looked at each other for a moment. The sound in the room had gone from barroom brawl to dead silence in no more than five seconds.

"The boy." The fourth man said, nodding at Josh. There was no point in fighting anymore. They were quite literally outgunned. Josh began to walk to the door. Karen stepped quickly to him and took hit arm. The sound of clicking hammers resonated in the dark room. Josh and Karen both glanced at them before gazing back at each other.

"Josh, what are you doing?" Karen asked, actually knowing full well that there was no other option.

"I gotta go, Karen." Josh said.

"Josh, no. Y-you can't." she said, choking back tears. Josh placed a hand on her cheek and ran his fingers through her hair. Right then their entire world was each other. The pirates meant nothing. This cell meant nothing. The guns and danger were meaningless. They had each other at that moment and that was all that mattered. Josh smiled.

"Hey, we just kicked three of those guys' asses. I think I'll be fine." He said. Karen laughed slightly. Her smile faded as did his. They grew closer to each other and their eyes slowly closed. Each tilted their head slightly and grew closer still. Their whole world was each other. Only each other. Only…

"Come on! Move it!" yelled two of the men as they grabbed Josh's arms and yanked him away.

"No!" Karen yelled as she sprang to the front of the cell just as the door slammed shut with a sickening clang. The men dragged Josh out of the room as Karen and Tony looked on helplessly. The door of the room slammed shut and there was only darkness. Karen threw her arms around Tony as each fell to their knees.

"What're we gonna do, Tony?" she asked, perhaps as much to herself.

"We'll think of something, Kar. We will." Tony said, as reassuringly as her could. In reality, he had no idea.

* * *

"Where was he going?" Jack asked for a third time to the cowering guard in his grasp. Ana Maria stood behind him and let him work.

"I told you, C-captain Sparrow, I don't know." Stammered the man.

"Look, I can see your captain dead right there!" Jack said, pointing to the bloody corpse on the ground. "Now unless he knew where Ripper was going, Ripper wouldn't have wasted a bullet on him. And if the dear Captain knew where he was going…**you **knew where he was going. Now, we're going to play a little game, savvy? I count to three. If, by the end of three seconds, you haven't told me where my dear little stowaways are, I am going to send you to join dear Cap'n. Get it?"

The guard did nothing. Jack pulled out his pistol and began the game.

"One…two…" Jack started. The guard cracked like an egg.

"OKAY, okay!" he blurted out.

"That's a good boy. Now, they did not know where the treasure was so…where were they going?" Jack asked.

"They were taking the children to Ushuia to meet with a friend of his. Just in case the kids kept their mouths shut. Said he had the map to the treasure of the Incas." The man spilled.

"Ushuia. That's right at the southernmost point." Ana interjected.

"That's right." Said the man. Jack released his grip on him.

"All right, lad. Get outta my sight." Jack said. The man stood there for a moment, confused.

"Well, off with ye!" Ana shouted. The man scampered up the stairs and was gone. Ana and Jack waited a moment then sprinted back to the Pearl and cast off.

"Ye know who the friend is, don't ye Sparrow? Don't ye!" Ana shouted as Jack took the helm.

"There's no time, Ana." Jack tried.

"Make time!" Ana said, halting Jack's turn of the helm with her own hand.

"The friend, I am afraid, is a mutual one, Ana. It be the man who gets to him first be the one who gets the kids and the treasure." Jack said. Ana's eyes widened as she realized who Jack was talking about.

"You don't mean…" she started.

"'Fraid so, Love." He said. Ana just stood there a moment, shocked. Jack leaned in close.

"Ana?" he asked, gently. She gazed up at him realizing how close he was.

"Jack." she replied.

"Will ye please get your hand off the helm now, Love?" he asked. Ana took her had off of it and walked away in disgust.

* * *

Josh was lead into Rippers cabin. Ripper was sitting at a table, but rose when he saw Josh standing there. The alluring smell of ham hung in the air and it made Josh glance over at the table. It was adorned with meat and fruit and rum of all kinds and colors. Josh realized it had been about three days since he had last eaten. His mouth watered though he tried to show no weakness.

"Have a seat, lad." Ripper said, in a surprisingly kind voice. What game was he playing? Oh, no harm could come from taking a seat. Josh did as he was told. The two pirates who'd brought him in stood over by the door. Ripper returned to his seat which was right beside where Josh was now. Ripper began eating his meal. Ripper had said nothing to Josh yet and so he was rightly confused. Ripper seemed to notice that Josh was not eating and laughed slightly.

"Well, what are ye waiting for, lad? Dig in. Ye _must _be hungry." Ripper said, with a mouthful. It made Josh nearly sick to say what he was about to.

"I'm fine." He said. Ripper knew what Josh was thinking and he was out to prove that, at least for now, he meant him no harm.

"Oh, come on, lad. Ain't nothing wrong with this fine ham. I'd have to be a fool to spoil a ham like this. Look…" Ripper reached out and pulled a piece of meat off of the bone and popped it into his mouth.

"See…fine. Eat." Ripper said, returning to his own meal. Josh's hand practically exploded out of his lap and ripped a giant chunk off of the bone. He buried his face in the thing and didn't care that the juices were dripping down his chin. He had known food could taste good, but never did he know it could _feel _good. It felt good to have something finally drop into his stomach. It felt good to have something warm in his system. He ate the thing so fast that he couldn't even believe himself. He grabbed a few more items and "accidentally" dropped some into his lap. He snuck the things into his pocket for Tony and Karen. He reached then for the bananas.

"I knew ye were hungry." Ripper said, as he patted Josh's back. Josh stopped himself in mid-bite. He set the banana down and swallowed.

"Why are you doing this?" Josh asked, in all honesty knowing why. Ripper elegantly dabbed the corners of his mouth and turned his chair to face Josh.

"Because I want to be your friend, lad. Ye wanna be my friend?" Ripper asked, holding up Josh's half eaten banana.

"Don't expect that you can win me over by givin' me a bite and a gulp." Josh said, critically.

"Now that is just rude." Said Ripper standing up. Josh smirked and held his hands out as if presenting himself. Ripper looked at him.

"Pirate." Josh said, simply. Ripper smiled then, too.

"That ye are, boy, that ye are." Ripper said. He held up a small knife as if examining it. "But even a pirate has emotions. Even a pirate has friends."

Josh's smile ran away from his face and his blood ran icy cold. Ripper's smile grew.

"Ye look frightened, lad. Don't worry, no harm will come to you. Your other little friend proved that none of ye can be broken so easily. However, there are other ways." He explained. Josh didn't want to believe his own intellect.

"You don't mean…n-no…you can't." Josh tried, knowing full well he _could._

"I'll bring her back, son. I'll kill her. And I can promise ye…it **won't **be quick. I'll do it myself. After all, she forced me a ship and into open ocean and I can't take that lyin' down. She won't be able to beg for her life by the time I'm done with her. She won't even be able to cry. Ye get it now, boy?" Ripper said, in a tone that sent chills up Josh's spine. Josh wished he knew where the treasure was now more than ever. He tried desperately to think of a name to tell Ripper. Any name. He stared down at his feet.

"Come on, kid. Ye owe no loyalty to Jack Sparrow. How long have ye known him? A few weeks? How long have ye know _her_? Your whole life? Tell me now and she may live to see another sunrise." Ripper said. Only seconds left was what kept running through Josh's head. He had to think of something. Ripper sat back.

"Very well, lad. Ye've made your bed. Go get her!" he ordered his men.

"WAIT! God...wait." Josh said. The men stopped as Ripper raised his hand.

"Cape Horn." Josh blurted out. The pirates looked confused. Josh remembered that they wouldn't know about that yet.

"The south most tip of the Americas." He corrected. Ripper smiled.

"Hmm. Oddly enough, we were plannin' on makin' a stop there anyway." Ripper said.

"Well, now it's for more than one thing." Josh said, faking guilt as best as he could.

"It did say in the legend that 'the friendship they share will be the key'. I'm beginning to see how." Ripper chuckled. Josh on the other hand was so mad his blood was near a boil.

"Just promise me you won't hurt her." He said, with as much respect as he could muster. Ripper was the one with the power right now. Ripper knew it and Josh knew it. Nothing left to do but beg.

"We'll see how your story holds up, lad. Then we'll talk more about our bonnie lass." Ripper said. Josh looked up into Ripper's eyes.

"If you touch her, I swear by everything holy and otherwise I'll kill you. And I promise…it won't be quick." Josh said. Ripper smiled.

"You _are _a pirate, boy. Take him away." Ripper said. The two men yanked Josh up out of his seat and pulled him over towards the door.

"One more thing." Ripper called. The men stopped.

"Clean out his pockets." Ripper ordered. The two men reached in and pulled out all the food he had collected for Tony and Karen.

"Don't ye dare forget, boy. I'm a pirate, too…and I been doin' it longer. Any trick ye got, I got ten more to beat it. Ye ever try to steal from me again and I'll hang ye by a yardarm." Ripper said, getting right in Josh's face. "Have a good night."

The men shoved Josh out of the cabin and back onto the darkened deck. The walk back to the cell was long. At least it seemed so. Suddenly, Josh felt that the clock was ticking. He _had _bought the friends some time, but not a lot. Any hope he had. Any hope any of them had, rested with the flakiest hero ever to sail the seven seas. All they could do now was pray that he'd hurry.

* * *

**Will Jack and his crew make it to Ushuia in time? Will our three friends live to see another day? Who is that mysterious "mutual friend"? Will Josh and Karen confess their love to one another? All this and more is still to come! Keep watching for new installments of "Another Place and Time."**

**P.S. Would it kill y'all to leave me a review once in a while? Come on. I gotta say, I am ****not**** feeling the love. JK. If you don't feel like it, no worries! Just keep enjoying:)**


	12. Wait and Hope

The ship stopped with a halt as it came into port. The three friends could not even bring themselves to roll over to peek out the tiny crack in the hull to find out why they had stopped. It had been five days and other than the occasional bucket of scummy water, the friends had not put anything into their stomachs this whole time. Each of them just laid there, a hollow shell of what they once were. They couldn't move, they could barely speak…all they could do was wait. Wait and hope. They could hear voices from outside their dank hole, but something was new and strange about them. It seemed that there were more voices than usual and unfamiliar ones as well. It was when they heard that tell tale thing that they knew where they were. It had been so long since they last heard it. The tune of a lone fiddle met their ears. The tune sounded oddly familiar and reminded them where they were. They knew that the ship was in port and something told them that this was not a stop merely for rum and gunpowder. The feelings were confirmed as the door of the room swung open and banged against the wall as it usually did. Again, the friends could not summon the energy to turn and see who it was. They just waited now. It was all they could do. Three men came into the cell. While they usually came in with four or five, three was all that was required now. Each man slung one of the friends over his back and lugged them off of the ship. The friends did not fight back, not that they could have even if they had wanted to. This was the first time the friends had been out in the sun since they had been taken. They noticed a huge sign as they entered the small town. "Ushuia" it said or at least that's what it looked like. It was so bright out, they could barely see. The three men followed Ripper through the crowd. People stared as they were carried through the streets of the busy town. Josh glanced up and saw a few mothers gather up their children at the mere sight of these lifeless figures. Karen who was on the first man's shoulders saw this, too and was suddenly enraged. These pirates were the ones to be shunned, not them. They would not even look the way they did, were it not for them. It was at that moment that she did something rather rash. Without warning, a sharp elbow was jabbed into the eye of the man carrying Karen. Both of his hands shot to the eye letting Karen slip off his back. The man drew his sword and took a few blind swipes at Karen. She rolled out of the way of the first, quickly ducked a second and then she was off. She scrambled away and down a shadowed alley. Josh and Tony were cheering her on as this was the most energy they could muster. She hated leaving them behind, but one of them free was better than all three of them in Ripper's hands. The man who had been carrying her sat there in total shock and held his eye moaning in pain. Ripper gave chase only a few steps before realizing that he still had her two friends. She would never leave them. He smiled to himself as he turned back around. Karen reached the end of the alley and was suddenly struck with a strange feeling. Her vision spun and she briefly leaned against a wall. She held her head, praying that this would go away or at least wait until she had a safe place to hide.

"You alright, lass?" came a voice from behind her. The voice was friendly. She turned to realize that the source of the voice may not match. Her heart skipped a beat as the gleaming red uniform seemed to reach out and slap her in the face. The face of the man was growing more and more angry by the second. She knew he knew who she was. He drew his pistol and aimed it at the barely conscious pirate.

"You're coming with me." He said, sternly.

"Lotta people on this street, chief. It'd be a shame if one got snagged by crossfire today." Karen reasoned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the guard asked. Karen laid a finger on the pistol.

"It means that this is useless." She said as she forced the pistol barrel away from her. The next second she was off again into the crowd. She heard the whistle from the guard behind her and two more gave chase. She now had three guards nipping at her heels. She sprinted with all the energy she had left which wasn't a whole lot. She glanced backwards to see how close the guards were. She could still see the bright red flashes through the drab garb of the city folk. Suddenly, her entire front side was throbbing as she ran into what felt to her like a wall. She was knocked flat on her backside and quickly glanced up, rapidly apologizing to the thing that had halted her. Her eyes widened as she saw them standing there. His rugged good looks were unmistakable and her beauty was likewise. He wore dark clothing and a dark blue bandana covering his hair. She wore a simple light blue dress so as to blend in with the commoners of the city. She gazed up at them.

"Will? Elizabeth?" she asked, meekly, as her vision began to spin again. The couple suddenly looked surprised.

"Do we know you?" Will asked, shocked.

"Hold it right there!" she heard from behind her. Karen struggled to her feet again as she remembered the situation she was in. She made it only a few steps before the guards caught up with her. A circle was formed in the crowd as the pedestrians watched the scene unfold. The first guard bear-hugged Karen and lifted her off of her feet. He turned to another guard who was waiting with the irons. She lifted her feet up and kicked the other guard in the chest. He went stumbling backwards and the force of the blow sent the guard holding her backwards as well. The man lost his balance and fell backwards with Karen still in his arms. She elbowed him in the gut with all her might and he released his grip. Two more guards had joined the fight after seeing the commotion. Karen drew the sword from the downed guard's sheath and stood up extending it in the direction of the guards. As she circled them, she suddenly stumbled. Her vision was beginning to get fuzzy again. She shook her head then drew a hand up to it.

"Not now." She begged her own body. As if knowing she was at her weakest, one of the guards advanced with a downward slash at her. She blocked his blow and sent it back skyward. As both of his arms were in the air she slashed at his waist level which he blocked expertly. She quickly moved the tip of her sword to the inside of the tip of his and spun the blade against the already strange angle of his wrist. The man lost the grip of his sword and it went flinging off into the crowd. Karen grabbed the unarmed man just as two more of the men charged her. She shoved the man at them causing them to slow down slightly as they tried to avoid him. One man made it though as the other was plowed into by the flailing guard. This man was better than the first. No doubt about it. He seemed to be the leader. He also seemed to be able to predict each of Karen's moves and as they fought it became apparent that he was only toying with her. She could see it and suddenly it made her angry. She charged the man and stabbed at his stomach. He knocked the blow away and swung his sword across her midsection. She cried out slightly though she wouldn't remember doing so later. Before she even knew what was happening she found herself clutching her stomach as blood began to spill over her arm. She heard the crowd gasp as she stumbled backwards. There was no hope now. She was on the brink of passing out and she didn't even know if she would ever wake up. She extended her sword at the guards as they all approached her in a last and desperate attempt to get them to back away. They didn't. Finally, at the end of her limited strength, the sword fell to the cobblestone street with a clang. She slowly fell to her knees and placed one hand on the ground. She fell over to her side and finally her whole world went black. She could still almost hear the events unfold around her and yet the seemed very far away. The man sheathed his sword and walked slowly over to the nearly lifeless pirate. She lay on her side arms clutching her stomach. He kicked her other shoulder to the ground so that she now lay on her back. She awoke only slightly. She was nearly motionless. He arms fell again to the ground as she tried to bring them back up to her stomach. She couldn't. She was totally drained. The guard smirked at the weak, pathetic thing at his feet.

"Pirate scum!" he scoffed, before spitting on her. She was only able to turn her head away slightly. Two of the men quickly moved over and lifted her up so the crowd could see. The head guard drew his sword again.

"Attempting to evade arrest carries with it a punishment of five years in prison. Engaging in physical altercations with a guard of the royal navy carries with it a punishment of thirty-five years in prison…" The guard announced as he circled Karen. He returned to the front of her as the final verdict was to be read. "…And piracy in the first degree carries with it a punishment of death."

He drew his sword back preparing to run Karen through. Mothers in the crowd turned their children away. Young couples held each other tightly. The sword began its journey forward. Suddenly a clang, a few gasps and Karen again met the pavement as the two men dropped her.

"Why don't you pick on a pirate your own size?" Will said as he held the man's sword to the ground. Will stomped down on the sword near the hilt causing the guard to lose his grip. The man reached for his pistol.

"Not wise." He heard from behind him as cold metal pressed against his neck. He turned to see Elizabeth with a pistol now directly in his face. He glanced back over in search of his men. They were nowhere to be found as they had tucked tail and ran the instant they saw Will.

"Take off." Will said, sternly. The Guard did so instantly. The crowd stared as Will and Elizabeth stood there for a moment.

"Kids." Elizabeth said as she shrugged her shoulders. The townspeople slowly returned to what they had been doing. Will and Elizabeth walked over to Karen. Elizabeth knelt down and examined her wound. Blood was still issuing from it and showed no sign of letting up.

"We need to get something on this." Elizabeth said.

"Right, let's get her back home." Will said as he picked her up.

"My God." He said as he lifted her.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"She's so light. Too light. And look at her cheeks. She's not supposed to be this way. I don't think she was running only from those guards." He observed.

"Maybe your right, but if we don't get going _we_ will be." Elizabeth pointed out.

They carried her across town and into a small apartment at the edge of the city. Elizabeth walked over to the water barrel and wet down a cloth. Will walked over to their bed and lay Karen out upon it. He lifted up her shirt somewhat so Elizabeth would be able to get to the wound better. He leaned over her and held his cheek near her mouth. The breath he felt was incredibly weak.

"Elizabeth, you'd better get over here." He said, urgently. Elizabeth rushed over to the bedside and began to dab expertly at the gash.

"Will, I need you to boil some water and put three more rags in it." She said.

"Got it." He said as he hurried over to the fire. Elizabeth continued wipe the wound out. A few moments later, Will returned.

"Is it boiling?" Elizabeth asked.

"It will be in a minute." He said. "H-how is she?"

"This wound is not very deep, thank God. It won't kill her. It's just that right now she's unimaginably weak. She…She's exhausted, starved, who knows what else. That's what she's fighting now more than anything. I think you were right, Will. She escaped from somewhere." Elizabeth explained. Will looked at the girl in his bed now unsure of how to react. He and Elizabeth had been keeping a low profile in this town now for a few years. Holding this girl was dangerous. He knew, however, that he couldn't just throw her back out onto the street. They had to help her. If it meant finding a new place to live then so be it. They had moved before and leaving this town would certainly be no tragedy. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a faint moan. Elizabeth and Will's eyes shot up to Karen as her head turned slightly. Her eyes opened only a little. As she looked around, her breathing became heavy and quick. She started to sit up, but was stopped by Elizabeth's hand on her shoulder.

"Easy now, Love. No one's going to hurt you here." Elizabeth said in as soothing a voice as she could. Karen looked at her not sure if she could believe her eyes.

"E-Elizabeth?" she said. Elizabeth and Will glanced at each other.

"How do you know who we are, Lass?" Will asked. Karen had to make this quick as she could feel herself slipping away again.

"Who doesn't?" she said, with a weak smile. Will and Elizabeth did the same. Elizabeth laughed slightly as she walked over to the boiling water and took a rag out.

"I guess that's true." Will agreed.

"Hell of a fight you had out there, Poppet." Elizabeth noted, as she returned and continued to clean out the wound. Karen winced as she scrubbed. Then she remembered.

"My friends, they…they're still with him." She exclaimed.

"With who, Lass?" Will asked.

"Ripper…Captain Ripper." Karen said. Will's stomach felt as if it dropped to his feet. Captain Jonathan Ripper. Helped him out of a jam or two while Will was on the sea. While they obviously did not trust each other, they came to work together more and more. Never had Will seen him do anything like this.

"Let's just worry about you right now. Alright, Love? We'll figure this all out as soon as we can, okay?" Will said. Karen nodded weakly and laid her head back.

"Will?" she asked, softly.

"Yes?" he responded.

"Thank you. Thank you both." She said.

"You're welcome, Love." He said, with that handsome smile of his. Karen slipped out of consciousness again.

"You know about this Ripper, don't you?" Elizabeth noticed.

"I do. We worked together a few times, b-before I came back." Will said.

"Why would he do this?" Elizabeth asked, gesturing at Karen.

"I don't know." He said, trying to think.

"I need some strips of fabric, Will." Elizabeth said as she finished cleaning the wound.

"Oh, alright. Um…" He said. He stood up and looked around for something to use. "Oh." He exclaimed as he noticed his shirt. He took the thing off and began to tear it into strips. He handed them to Elizabeth. He began to run them under her back and around the gash on her stomach. She tied it off as she finished.

"Well, that's it. Now all we can to is wait and hope." She said.

"I suppose that's all we can do right?" Will asked.

"What about her two friends? How on earth can we help her find them? We don't even know where to start." Elizabeth pointed out.

"I have no idea how we'll do that. I just had to calm her down." Will said.

"I suppose." Elizabeth said, sitting on the foot of the bed. She shook her head sadly.

"Poor thing." She said under her breath. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. They never had knocks at the door.

"Who's there?" Will asked.

"An old friend." Came the voice. It was oddly familiar. Will walked over to the door and opened it.

"Captain Will Turner." The man said, happily.

"Captain Ripper." Will said. For the second time today, Will's stomach dropped into his feet.


	13. Mutual Friends

Will felt his blood run cold and his heart begin to race. Although he tried his best not to show it, he must have looked as if he'd just seen a ghost. Will glanced over at Elizabeth quickly only to discover that she had the same frozen look on her face. Will looked back at Ripper who seemed confused by Will's hesitation.

"Well, aren't ye going to invite me in, lad?" Ripper asked, making his way for the small gap between Will and the doorframe. Will's hand shot out, blocking the space.

"No!" he blurted out. Ripper's brow furrowed. Will was afraid that this move would be the one he ended up regretting. Ripper continued to stare until Will snapped out of his daze.

"I mean…uh…ye see…" Will stumbled over each word. Every second seemed to last hours and each one brought this situation closer to doom for the young stranger that lay in his bed. Finally an idea came to him, and none too soon.

"See, my wife and I were just having some…_together _time, if ye know what I mean and well…" Will said. Ripper looked slightly skeptical.

"Darling, tell whoever that is to come back later. Come back to bed." Elizabeth chimed in from over by the bed. Will thanked her a thousand times in his head for her quick thinking. Will looked back at Ripper with a little told-ya-so smirk on his face. Ripper's skeptic face grew into a smile and then a laugh.

"Well, I see ye wasted no time after that curse was lifted, eh lad?" Ripper said through a belly laugh.

"That I did not." Will replied. They both stood there for a moment before the laughter died again.

"So, will ye be up for meeting me in the pub tonight? I got something very important I want to talk to you about." Ripper said, now with surprising seriousness.

"What is it?" Will asked.

"Let's just say it's worth your time and I know how valuable time has become to you." Ripper said.

"When?" Will asked.

"Ten o'clock." Ripper suggested.

"I'll be there." Will replied.

"Good choice, lad. See ye then." Ripper as he walked away. Will slowly closed the door. He fairly ran over to the bed where Elizabeth was sitting and threw his arms around her.

"Great play, Love." He said as he held her.

"Not bad acting yourself, Mr. Turner." She replied.

"What do ye suppose he means 'worth my time'?" Will asked as he sat back.

"He probably wants ye to join him on some bloody treasure hunt that you little boys are always so eager to be a part of." Elizabeth scoffed as she walked over to the boiling pot that was still on the fire.

"Actually, I wouldn't doubt it." Will realized out loud. Elizabeth put a few new rags in the pot before turning to face him.

"Will, we can't go back out there. You know what happened the last time we were at sea together." Elizabeth reminded him.

"I seem to recall us getting out of every one of those messes, Mrs. Turner." Will pointed out.

"That's just it, Will. Our luck can't last forever." Elizabeth said. It was then that Will got that sly smile of his face.

"Who said it was luck, Love?" Will asked. Elizabeth knew she had hit a dead end. He knew as well as she did that it was their skill that had gotten them out of the all the messes that they had been in over the years.

"I just don't want to lose you again, Will. I was without you for five years. That was enough." She admitted.

"You won't lose me, Elizabeth. I promise." Will assured her. She held him tight as she remembered what it had been like for those years that he had been gone. Thinking that it would be another five before she saw him again. She remembered the overwhelming joy and surprise when he showed up at her door that summer day. She remembered exactly the way he looked. When he came to her, he was the pirate that she had fallen in love with. He was darkly tanned from the Caribbean sun and his clothes sagged from being soaked and dried, countless times. She remembered the look on his face when she opened the door. The way he leaned against the doorframe as if nothing was amiss. She loved everything about him, and now he was about to become that again. She stepped back.

"So what's our next move?" She asked.

"We meet Ripper in the tavern tonight. We see what he knows about her two buddies. But, we have got to make sure that we do not let him know that we have her. It'd mean the end of all three of us." Will said. Elizabeth nodded. She glanced over at the bed.

"What do we do with her? We can't just leave her here." Elizabeth said. Will put a hand to his chin and rubbed his scruffy beard.

"Let her sleep for a few more hours. At about eight-thirty wake her up and give her a bite. Maybe then we can take her with us." Will suggested. Elizabeth sighed as she walked over to the wardrobe.

"I don't know how I let you talk me into these things." Elizabeth ranted as she rifled through the cabinet. She finally came up with it. That outfit that she thought she would never wear again. That old pair of weathered britches, that loose old shirt, those boots and that bloody hat. Once she had gathered the entire outfit, she began to change into it. Although it was a surprise to her and she never would have admitted it, it felt nice to wear it again. Something about those clothes brought back old memories of adventure, danger, rebellion, and general scoffing of the law. She missed those days more than she let on. She continued to rant as she changed, nearly trying to convince herself now of the things she said.

"We _could _have a nice little farm or a little house somewhere in the countryside, but no. I let you talk me into being bloody pirate and following you all over hell's half-acre on you're little bloody adventures." Elizabeth raved. Will came up behind her and took her by the shoulders. He gently turned her around.

"Would you have it any other way, darling?" Will asked with that damn know it all smirk on his face. She wanted to slap him, yet in the next breath she found herself suppressing a laugh. He knew her too well.

"No other way, at all." She replied, though he already knew.

* * *

"ON DECK, ALL HANDS!" called Gibbs. The crew quickly assembled on the deck as the Pearl came into port. Jack walked back and forth on the upper deck as his crew looked up at him.

"Men! Now is the time for action! We must all spread out and find one William Turner! Depending on his general mood, he may or may not be happy to see us. Use any means necessary to get him here!" Jack said. Several of the pirates drew their swords.

"No, no, no, no…no!" Jack said, waving his arms wildly. The pirates seemed confused.

"Noooo." Jack said as if he were speaking to a dog. He made a gesture that looked like he was sheathing a sword. The pirates imitated him.

"Perfect. I do need him talking when he gets here so none of that, understand?" Jack said. The pirates agreed and began to leave the ship. Jack wearily walked to his cabin. Nothing left to do now but wait. He might as well try to get some sleep.

* * *

Karen found herself running through the streets desperately looking for them. The crowd was just too thick and it seemed that she couldn't run fast enough. Fro somewhere in front of her she heard two distinct gunshots and a few cries from passersby. She came to where the crowd had been cleared and saw the very thing she had been running from not long ago. Ripper stood there over the two bloody bodies. It took only a moment to register who they were. Rage and fear overflowed from Karen and she found herself just standing there in complete shock. Ripper turned to her with an evil grin.

"Two down, on to go." He said as he pointed the pistol at her. She wanted to jump out of the way, but her feet seemed nailed to the ground. She heard the shot and felt the bullet enter her body. Her hands shot to her stomach as she sat straight up in bed gasping and sweating profusely. She glanced around the room frantically trying to remember where she was. She was in such a state that she did not even hear the soothing voice from her bedside nor did she feel the hand on her shoulder.

"Relax, child, calm down." Elizabeth tried, though it did not seem to sink in. Suddenly the stranger's frantic eyes snapped over to her. Her brow furrowed in confusion and then relaxed in relief.

"Elizabeth." Karen realized as she began to lie back down.

"That's it. Relax now, girl." Elizabeth continued until the child was entirely lying back down. Karen lay there for a moment trying to calm herself down. The crackling fire was all that was to be heard and a smell of some kind of meat soup hung heavy in the air.

"What's your name, child?" Elizabeth asked.

"Karen." She replied.

"That must've been one hell of a dream, Karen." Elizabeth said.

"It was about my friends." Karen said, lowering her eyes. Elizabeth put her hand atop Karen's.

"We will help you get them back, love. You just worry about getting some rest." Elizabeth suggested. Karen glanced around.

"Where am I?" Karen asked.

"Well right now, you're in my and my husband's bed." Elizabeth joked. Karen looked around again.

"Husband? You-you two got married? How? Wh-what about the curse?" Karen questioned.

"After about five years, Will's father took over Will's duties on the Dutchman." Elizabeth explained.

"B-but what about his heart?" Karen asked. Elizabeth shook her head and walked over to the pot of wet bandages that was now sitting on the table.

"He never explained it to me entirely, but the short version had something to do with his father cutting out his own heart and putting it into the box with Will's. Then they had to do some incantation or something and poof. Will once again had a pulse." Elizabeth said. Karen nodded her head and held back a laugh. Pirates couldn't even do their curses all the way. Elizabeth returned to the bed and lifted Karen's shirts slightly.

"Anyway, he's been back for about a year and…arms up." Elizabeth said in the middle of her own sentence. Karen put her arms up so Elizabeth could change her dressing. "…And about three months after he got home, we were married." Karen smiled.

"I'll bet it was a real nice wedding." She said.

"That it was." Elizabeth said, with a smile matching Karen's. "So what about you, child? Where do you come from? Your accent is strange and your name is one I've never heard of."

"Well, that's kind of hard to explain. I come from a place that you might not be too familiar with and you see…" Karen started.

"Oh, I think I see. You come from the Americas right? You were a prisoner there and you escaped?" Elizabeth inferred.

"Yes to the first part, no to the second part." Karen said as she readjusted herself in the bed.

"I don't understand." Elizabeth said. "All the Americas are used for is housing prisoners. A pirate couldn't stay there for very long without being a prisoner."

"Well, here's the thing. See I guess the question isn't really where I came from. It's the Americas. You got that. The real question you should ask is '_when _do you come from?' That might get you the unusual answer you were looking for." Karen explained as delicately as she could. Elizabeth looked confused for only a moment before realizing what this child was driving at. She realized that this child was not of thins world, at least not _her _world. Elizabeth seemed oddly unfazed by this. Then again, considering the adventures she had been on, this may have seemed like a walk in the park.

"Alright then, Karen. When do you come from?" Elizabeth asked. Karen looked unsure.

"Do you want me to be gentle or blurt it out all at once?" Karen asked.

"Just blurt it out all at once." Elizabeth chose. Karen took a deep breath.

"I'm from the year 2007 and a place that is just called America. All anyone knows of you, Will, Jack Sparrow, or anyone else here comes from movies and me and my friends got sucked here by some magic spell and we wound up on the Pearl with Jack, but then we got captured and I got out and now I'm here." Karen rattled off quickly. Elizabeth sat back and shook her head slightly. She gazed off into nowhere.

"I think I should have told you to tell me gently." She said, managing a slight laugh.

"D-do you believe me?" Karen asked. Elizabeth's attention went back to Karen.

"Why would I not, Love? You have given me no reason not to believe you. If you say you're from the year…what was it?" Elizabeth asked.

"2007." Karen reminded.

"That is a long time from now isn't it?" Elizabeth realized. "But if you say you're from there, then I believe you. Now, we need to get you on your feet again and I think a decent meal is a good place to start."

The very mention of food made Karen's stomach rumble. How long had it been since she last ate? Three days? Four? She didn't remember. In any case the smell that filled the room as Elizabeth lifted the top off of the kettle was one that Karen had dreamed of. Elizabeth ladled some of the heavenly liquid into a bowl and carried it over to Karen. She went to hand her the bowl but hesitated.

"Are ye strong enough to feed yourself, lass." Elizabeth asked.

"Oh yeah. I got it." Karen replied. She took the bowl from Elizabeth and realized that it did indeed feel heavier than it should have. She set the bowl in her lap, trying not to spill a drop of the blissful smelling soup. It took every ounce of restraint she had not to dive into the bowl like a savage. She didn't want to seem rude to this woman who had no less than saved her life. Elizabeth returned to the chair beside the bed with her own bowl and began to eat. Karen ate slow, careful bites glancing over at Elizabeth once in a while for some guidance. Elizabeth noticed how slowly she was eating and smiled.

"You know, when I was about your age, a wise man once said to me, 'there's no need to stand on ceremony, nor call to impress anyone. You must be hungry.'" Elizabeth finished with a chuckle. She reached over and took Karen's spoon away. Karen smiled and lifted the steaming bowl to her lips. She tilted the thing up sending the warm paradise down her throat. This food felt as good as it tasted. Karen could feel her strength coming back already.

"It's good?" Elizabeth asked. Karen put the bowl back into her lap and smiled back.

"It's great." She replied.

* * *

"Where is he meeting him?" Ana-Maria asked one of Ripper's crewmen as the stood at the edge of the pier. Two of Jack's crew held him leaning over the edge, just nearly ready to fall.

"He-he's meeting them tonight in the Driftwood pub." The man stammered. Ana stepped forward and gently slapped the man's cheek.

"Thank ye so much. Now, if I were you, I'd take one of these here rowboats and get yourself as far from here as ye can. When your cap'n find out what ye just said to me, he won't be too happy, will he?" she said. The man jumped into a row boat and immediately sped away from shore. The two men and Ana just stood there for a moment.

"Well, what are ye waiting for? Go tell, Jack." Ana said. The men sprinted off, but to Ana no one could run fast enough. She could only hope that they would not be too late.


	14. Unsure Steps

Karen took her first unsure steps out of the bed and held her arms up.

"See. I told you I was fine." She said as Will sat there and watched her.

"I was not that unconfident in ye in the first place, love. But it does indeed look like you're fine to come with us tonight. But, we must get ye some new clothes so ye won't be too conspicuous." Will decided. He walked over to the closet and selected a dark grey pair of pants and a black shirt. He also grabbed a black leather vest to wear over top of the whole thing. The bandana he picked was dark green. She changed her clothes and she looked surprisingly different. She looked for some reason more cunning and clever. She looked savvier to the ways of the pirate.

"That's better." Will said as he saw her in the new garb.

"So when we get there, what should I do?" Karen asked.

"First of all, tonight there is no 'we'. You have to pretend that you are in there by yourself and that's just the way it is." Will corrected. Karen put a hand on her hip and cocked her head to one side.

"Okay, fine. When _I _get there, what should _I_ do?" Karen said, sarcastically.

"Just relax. Order a pint of something. Let Elizabeth and I do our thing." Will said.

"What if someone recognizes me?" Karen asked.

"Tell them that they must be mistaken because they been drinking. They'll be pretty inclined to believe that I should think." Will replied.

"Do you know what the meeting with Ripper will be about?" Karen asked.

"No. Do you?" Will asked.

"I think I might." Karen asked.

"Elizabeth said that he probably just wants me to come on some treasure hunt with him." Will asked.

"Well, it's…uh, it's not just any treasure hunt. Have you ever heard of the lost treasure of the Incas?" Karen asked.

"Of course. What pirate hasn't?" Will asked.

"Do you, by any chance, have a map to said treasure?" Karen asked.

"As a matter of fact I do. Doesn't do me much good, though. From all I've read there are these three friends who will be the…" Will trailed off as turned and looked back at Karen. Karen nodded slowly.

"Oh my God. You and your…" Will said stammering with excitement.

"Everyone around here seems to think so." Karen said. Will plopped down into a chair as if his knees came out from under him. He put a hand to his forehead.

"Make you wanna help me get my friends back a little more?" Karen asked.

"Absolutely." Will replied.

They waited a few more hours as Karen regained her strength. Then at about 9:30, they were off to the pub. Karen walked with her head lowered, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. Suddenly from out of the alley, leaped about seven pirates with swords drawn. The three were instantly surrounded. As each instinctively went for their swords, an advance on the part of the pirates made them think twice. Suddenly a familiar face came from the shadows.

"Dear William, so nice to see ye again. And Elizabeth, you're looking quite lovely as well." The man came out of the shadows only slightly surprising the three.

"Hello Jack." Will said. "What's with the grand hold up?"

"Well, ye see Will, you and I both know that no matter how long a pirate has been out of the game, he still has that thievin', black little streak in him. I figure that you're smart enough to figure out by now what this bonnie lass is good for and I was fairly certain that ye'd want that for yourself. I just didn't want to take any chances, savvy?" Jack explained. Karen reached up and moved two of the swords aside with her fingers. She stepped towards Jack.

"Listen, Sparrow. I don't care about you or your damn treasure. I care about my friends. And I won't have my three best chances at getting them back killing each other over something like gold." Karen said, pointing a finger into Jack's chest. Jack only stood there for a moment, stunned.

"But it's a very large amount of gold." Jack said, meekly.

"I DON'T CARE!" Karen said over his last word. Jack jumped back slightly. He them motioned quickly for his men to drop their swords. They did so.

"Now, we are all gonna work together. If all goes right, everyone will get what they want. Understand?" Karen asked. All three pirates nodded. They had planned that they would enter the pub at different times. Will and Elizabeth first and Karen and Jack second. Since Jack was there now, Karen didn't have to go in at all. However, Jack didn't quite trust Will and he wanted to keep a good eye on him. Anyway, if all went smoothly, no one would even know who they were.

Will and Elizabeth walked into the bar just as they had many times before. They heard a whistle from off to their right and they both glanced in that direction. There was Ripper, waving them over to his table. They both made their way through the crowd and had a seat. Ripper extended his hand to shake.

"Good to see ye, Will. Ah, and this must be Elizabeth. I've heard a great deal about you, Love." Ripper said as he elegantly kissed her hand. Will had not accounted for the awkwardness he felt around Ripper now. This man who had once been his friend had done horrible things. Things below even a pirate. Still, Will had to act as if nothing was amiss…even though that monster had just kissed his wife's hand. No. No he had to keep his head.

"Nice to meet you, Captain." Elizabeth replied, politely.

"Please, dear, call me Jonathan. So I suppose you'll be wantin' a drink, eh?" Ripper asked.

"I'd prefer to know why you've asked us here." Will said. Ripper laughed.

"Damn you, Turner. Have ye not yet unwound yourself?" Ripper leaned over to Elizabeth. "Did he ever tell ye, love, that we called him 'guitar string' aboard my ship? That's how uptight he was. Relax, lad. I haven't seen ye in a good four years and ye come on to me all business. Let me buy ye a drink and then we'll talk about all that good piratin' stuff."

"Alright, Jon. Make it a house ale." Will said.

"And for you, love?" Ripper asked Elizabeth

"Rum for me, thanks." She answered.

As Ripper ordered the drinks and made small talk with the two, there was a conversation of quite another tone going on out in the alley beside the pub.

* * *

"How the hell could you let them just leave us there! You're the Captain!" Karen ranted after she had remembered where their whole ordeal had started.

"If you'd remember, dear girl, I was quite incapacitated." Jack tried.

"You seem fine to me." Karen said, crossing her arms.

"Of course I am now. It's been five days since then." Jack said.

"I know how long it's been, Sparrow. I know exactly how long it's been! I have been counting the minutes ever since we were taken!" Karen continued as she grew closer to Jack. "I will never get over some of the things they did to me! Do you know what that's like? Do you know what it's like to be so afraid that every new second will be the one that your body decides to just quit? Do you know what its like to barely be able to lift a goddamn bowl of soup so you can feed yourself? Do you know what it's like to be in the dark for so long that when you finally see the sun again, you're literally blind? Well…do you?"

In the next instant, without warning Karen found herself constricted by the most shocking thing she had ever felt. Jack had just wrapped her in a hug. Karen instinctively hugged him back, knowing what a huge deal this must be for him.

"I'm so sorry, Karen. Oh, sweet child. I'm so sorry." He kept repeating. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I swear it!"

"Take it easy, Jack. I know it wasn't really your fault." Karen said, surprisingly moved by his apology.

"No, love, there _was _more I could have done. You're right. I just been so used to coverin' my own ass for so long that it just happened." Jack seemed to plead.

"Jack, I know this wasn't your fault. I guess it wasn't anybody's. It was just an accident. No worries." Karen said.

"Thank you, sweet girl." Jack said with a smile like Karen had never seen before. This smile was not his usual too-cool-for-school smile. This smile was totally genuine. Completely unhindered by any emotional walls. Karen wished he would do that more often.

"We should probably go in." Karen reminded.

"That we should, love. Remember, head low and no eye contact." Jack reminded back.

"Will do." Karen said. They strolled into the bar trying to avoid attention as best they could and they actually did a very good job. Aside from the fact that they were indeed forms of matter taking up space, no one would have ever know that Jack Sparrow or his little stowaway was ever there. They walked over to the bar where Karen ordered for the both of them. As they waited for their drinks Karen was stuck by a light elbow from Jack. He nodded over towards a certain table that sat at the side of the bar. There sat Ripper, Will, and Elizabeth. Right now they seem to not be talking about anything particularly important. They knew this was true as Ripper was laughing. Karen thought it was strange to see him laugh. Having done the horrible things that he had done, he ceased to be like a real person to Karen. He was to her a monster. Seeing him laugh like any other man was incomprehensible to her.

"Miss!" said the bartender for a third time. Karen whirled around and looked straight at the bartender.

"Oh, sorry." She said as she instantly broke the eye contact. She dug through her pockets in order to pay the man.

"Haven't I seen you somewhere before?" the bartender asked. Karen's blood ran cold.

"Well, I haven't ever seen you before, so I find that unlikely." She said, faking an English accent as best as she could.

"No…no I'm sure of it. Have you ever been up Ojo de Cordos way, lass?" the man asked.

"Can't say that I have." Karen insisted as she found some money and smacked it down on the bar.

"Oh, come now lass don't try to throw me. Everybody's been there. Now let's see. There's a bar that I used to work at in that port. The "Salty Dog" it was." He said. Karen knew that he knew who she was in the back of his head. She was now simply trying desperately to stop that memory from getting to the front.

"Look sir, I really don't think we've ever…" she started, but was cut off as her worst nightmare came true.

"I got it! You were that young lass who won the card game and caused all that commotion and then ye escaped through the back of the pub!" the man was nearly shouting now. Karen tried to shush him but he wouldn't listen. People near the bar were beginning to turn to look. Karen's mind was ablaze. She had to do something to shut this idiot up. Oh, God. More people were looking now. Karen glanced quickly over at Ripper's table. Will and Elizabeth were turned around and their eyes were wide. Ripper was taking a drink of his rum, but it would only be a moment before he too would look to see what was going on. While they would not be able to hear the bartender from where they were, but one shot of Karen's face and they were done for. The man continued to rabble on, actually singing Karen's praises, but right now she needed him to shut his mouth. Anything would do. Any way. Got it!

Karen reached across the bar and grabbed a hold of the man's shirt. She yanked him forward, leaning slightly in herself. Their lips didn't meet…closer to slammed together. In any case the man wasn't shouting anymore. She let go of his shirt and put her hand on the back of his neck. It took all of Jack's power not to spit the rum out of his mouth at the mere sight of this. He gazed down at the bar and tried to hide his face with his hand. The kiss went on for so long that people began to walk away and go back to their lives. Karen slowly slid her hand to the bartender's shoulder and gently pushed him back.

"Is there somewhere more private we can go?" she asked with a smile. The bartender nodded sheepishly and pointed to the back room. Karen smiled again.

"I'll be right there." She said. She hopped down off her barstool and walked behind Jack. She leaned in to him slightly.

"Meet me in the back. We're outta here." She said under her breath. Jack nodded ever so slightly as Karen proceeded to the back room. He finished his last gulp of the drink and nonchalantly walked out of the bar. He walked around to the back of the bar and sat down on a barrel. He sat there for a grand total of a minute and a half before he heard the wooden door slam open against the stone wall of the bar. Karen had her vest under her arm and her bandana in her teeth. She was hopping on one foot as she yanked her boot back on.

"Go, go, go!" she said through the bandana. She began to run through the alleys as she got the boot on. As she went she pulled the vest on as well. Jack, too surprised to do otherwise, simply followed Karen as she darted in and out of alleyways until they finally stopped.

"Where are we?" Jack asked, since this was the most important question of the moment.

"Will and Elizabeth's apartment." Karen said, totally out of breath. She turned the doorknob only to find that it was locked. Karen sighed and sat down by the door mat. Jack did the same.

"What happened in there?" Jack asked.

"I hit him over the head with a log and stashed him in a closet." She answered.

"Why were ye undressed?" Jack asked.

"I had to keep him off guard somehow." She said shrugging her shoulders.

Suddenly, both of them heard a sound coming up the street. Each of them fled like mice as they heard it getting closer. Karen hid behind an old ale barrel and peeked out at what it was. The sound was voices and as the lanterns drew closer Karen realized who it was. It was Ripper's crew. They stopped at the door and felt the handle. After they realized it was locked, one large man stepped up and with one mighty kick, had the door off its hinges. The men all flooded into the apartment. Karen could hear what they were saying inside. They spoke of the map that Ripper had called Will to talk about that night. Karen drew her sword and was ready to go in and stop them. Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her arm. She turned quickly to see Jack.

"Not a chance, love." He said, quietly. Then he yanked her back into a crouch position as the men began to file out. They must have already found it. Jack and Karen waited until they were out of the alley to walk into the apartment. It was trashed. Books lay everywhere, tables were tipped over, the bed was askew. Karen walked around in total shock. This place that had been such a haven to her had been nearly destroyed in a matter of seconds. She kicked the bed.

"Damn it all!" she swore.

"Why did they do this?" Jack thought aloud.

"Ripper knew Will wouldn't join him or give him the map so he decided to take it for himself." Karen figured out.

"What should we do?" Jack asked.

"I've gotta go and see if my friends are alright. Ripper's best men were right there and they'll be out partying the rest of the night and odds are so will Ripper." Karen explained as she grabbed some bread out of the bread box and filled a wine pouch with soup.

"You go find a way to tell Will and Elizabeth what's going on. I'm gonna go help my friends." Karen said as she walked towards the door.

"What's the food for?" Jack asked. Karen's eyes lowered.

"In case I can't get them out." She said sadly, knowing that this would probably be the case. To her knowledge, Ripper kept the cell key on him.

"Karen." Jack called after her. She stopped and turned around.

"Pirates luck be with ye, lass." He said. Karen smiled and gave him a nod. She walked out the door and down to the docks. There was the _Black Maiden_. The one upon which she was certain her life would end. Now she had to board her once again. The funny thing was fear never came into play for Karen. She had to get in and out very quickly. She didn't have time to be afraid. A few lanterns were lit on board, which also meant that there would be plenty of shadows. She could do this. She could. She walked towards the gangplank of the grand ship and hoped for the best.

* * *

**Will Karen be able to get to Josh and Tony without getting caught? Now that Ripper has the map, who will get to the treasure first? Will Elizabeth and Will join up with Jack? (Hint: Of course they will! I love Will too much to write him out quite yet!) All these questions will be answered and more in coming installments of "Another Place and Time."**


	15. Heroic Streak

Karen crept up the gangplank thinking that no one would be on the ship. Suddenly, just as she was nearly at the top she heard the most frightening sound she had heard since she had been there. It came in the form of nothing more than footsteps. She froze only for a moment and then went to take a step backwards. Her foot slipped off the side of the gangplank causing her to nearly fall. She cried out out of pure instinct as she fell down to one knee.

"Who goes there?" she heard from on board the ship. From her crouched position she could see the light from the man's lantern grow closer and closer to her. Where could she go? There seemed to be no way out.

The man crept over to where he had heard the sound and inspected the old rum barrels on the deck for any stowaways. He then realized that the sound had indeed come from the same area as the gangplank. He peeked over the side of the ship at the gangplank. At first he could see nothing. He took a few steps out onto the plank until he was about in the middle. He saw nothing and heard nothing so he repeated himself.

"Who goes there?" he said. Although he was nearly stepping on them, he did not even see the fingers gripping the sides of the gangplank for dear life. She held her breath as the pirate stood above her. The man realized that there was nobody around and that it had probably been nothing. He walked back onto the ship and back over to the place where his bottle of rum sat. Karen breathed a silent sign of relief as she swung her feet up to the plank. She worked her way back up on top of it and crawled the rest of the way up and onto the ship. She crouched behind the three empty rum barrels and plotted her next move. As she sat there she noticed an old rum bottle sitting by her feet. Not big at all. No bigger than a beer bottle. She held the thing up and checked its weight. Perfect. She looked over to where the prisoner hold was. About twenty feet away was all. She threw the bottle over as far as she could in the opposite direction. She heard it break on a distant part of the ship. Then came the noise she hoped to hear next.

"Alright, I know you're there!" the pirate yelled now, not really knowing what he was yelling at. He then took cautious steps towards the back of the ship. Karen saw her opportunity and bolted for the prisoner hold. She quietly opened the door, slipped in and closed it behind her.

"Guys. Guys?" she whispered. Her eyes searched the darkness for any movement though she knew they would find none. She could hear the slow rock of the ship but nothing more.

"Josh. Tony." She tried again. Suddenly, she heard a rustle that made her heart skip a beat.

"Karen? Is that you?" he asked. She could tell it was Josh. His voice was always deeper than Tony's even when they were little kids.

"Yeah Josh. It's me." She whispered excitedly. "Are you alright?"

"Define 'alright'." Josh whispered jokingly.

"See: 'alive'." Karen bantered back.

"Check." Said Josh.

"I'm so sorry I took off without you guys. It's been killing me." She said.

"Better one of us out, than all three in here. Hey, I'm surprised you even had the energy to run like that. _That _was awesome." Josh said.

"Well, I didn't make it far. Oh, hey, guess who I ran into?" Karen asked, grinning.

"Who?" Josh asked.

"A certain Mr. and Mrs. Turner." Karen answered. Josh laughed slightly.

"Heh. I figured it was only a matter of time before those two showed up. What about Will's curse?" Josh asked.

"Oh yeah. See, what happened was…" Karen was cut off by a sound that made her heart begin to race. Footsteps coming their way. She glanced all over the room. Nowhere to hide this time. But, wait. Got it.

"Lay back down. Lay down!" she urged Josh as she ran for the wall on which there was the door. She pressed her back against the wall as hard as she could, trying to make herself skinny. The door slammed open with the loud crash. She felt the rush of air created by the door as it hit the wall mere inches from her shoulder. As the giant thing bounced off of the wall Karen expertly slid behind it and steadied its motion, securing her hiding place. The man held the torch high and glanced around the room. Josh turned his head towards the man. The man noticed and sneered at him.

"Ain't no one comin' for you, boy. Your little girlfriend had more pirate in her than even the captain wanted to see, I think. She ain't comin' back." The man taunted. Josh did his best to fake sadness and turned his head away. The pirate chuckled and turned to walk out the door. He grabbed the knob and slammed the thing behind him. Karen rushed back over to the cell.

"They should have a little more faith in me than that." Karen said.

"No kidding." Josh said. They reached through the bars and held each other as best as they could. They just needed to feel each other again as confirmation to both of them that this was not a dream.

"Hey, I brought you guys something." Karen remembered. She took the bread out of the bag and opened the pouch of soup so Josh could smell.

"Oh god, Kar. You're an angel." Josh said. She handed the stuff to him and she heard him take the first big bite.

"There's a whole loaf there and at least two bowls of soup in the pouch. Save some for Tony." She said.

"I make no promises." Josh said with his mouth full. Karen laughed but it quickly died away.

"Listen, Josh. I can't stay here any longer. It won't be long before all the other pirates come back and then we'll all be screwed." Karen said reluctantly.

"I know." Said Josh sadly.

"I promise we'll get you guys out of here soon. With me, Jack, Will, Elizabeth and the whole crew, it's nearly a done deal." Karen said.

"I trust you, Karen." Josh said reassuringly. Karen's eyes filled with tears.

"Josh…Josh, I want you to promise me that you'll be here when I come back." Karen said. She felt Josh reach out and take her hand.

"Cross my heart." He said, smiling. Karen rose to her feet and slowly walked away as their hands grew apart. She quietly opened the door and snuck back off of the ship.

* * *

She made her way back to Will and Elizabeth's apartment to see if they were back yet. Sure enough, she walked in to find them cleaning up their ransacked home.

"Thank God you're back, love. We were afraid ye'd been caught." Jack said.

"Nope. I'm fine." She said.

"Did ye see them?" Jack asked.

"Yeah." Karen replied lowering her eyes.

"Well?" Jack asked.

"They won't last much longer, Jack. We have to hurry." She said.

"We set sail in the morning, love. We'll get them back." Jack assured her.

"I hope so." She said, eyes once again fixed on the floor. Her chin quivered as she choked back tears. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Jack.

"It's alright to cry in front of me, lass. I won't think less of ye." Jack said firmly.

"I don't want to cry at all, Jack." She said.

"It's alright, sweet girl. I promise." Jack repeated.

"No, not even because of you. Th-they need me to be strong right now. They need me." She said, on the brink of bursting into tears. Jack put his other hand on her other shoulder.

"Tears will never make _you_ less strong, Karen. Never." Jack said in a very serious tone. Karen shook her head.

"I'm just so scared. I saw them…right there. There was nothing I could do. I'm afraid the same thing is going to happen when they need me the most. I'm just so afraid, I don't know what I'm gonna do!" she cried. Finally, tears flowed. She wrapped her arms around Jack's skinny torso and bawled into his chest. Jack stood there and let her get it out. It had been a long time since he had been the rock to anyone, let alone someone like her. He was no kind of security to anyone, but right now he was all she had. He suddenly felt a twinge of responsibility. After she had calmed down, he pulled her back and led her to the bed.

"Ye need a good night's sleep, love. Everything will look clearer in the morning, eh? It always does." Jack encouraged.

"You're right, Jack." She said.

"And when am I ever otherwise, darling?" Jack said, jokingly. Karen laughed slightly and covered up with the thick blanket. She did need a good night's sleep, even more than _she_ thought she had. Not a minute after she lay down there, she was fast asleep.

* * *

"They got the map." Will said as he sat down at the table with the rum bottle and three glasses. He handed one out to each of them at the table and filled them up.

"How did he even know you had it?" Elizabeth asked.

"A long time ago we talked about looking for it together. I told him that I thought I had a map. Not long after we discovered that it was genuine. There was only one thing we didn't have." He said nodding over at Karen's sleeping form.

"So now that we have it, what's our next move?" Elizabeth asked.

"We reunite them at all costs." Said Will full of that heroic conviction that had grow ever so boring to Jack over the years.

"Now there is something else to consider here, dear lad. What about the treasure?" Jack piped up for the first time.

"You can't be serious!" Elizabeth said loudly. Will and Jack both hushed her.

"How can you be concerned about treasure when those children did what they did for you?" Elizabeth questioned.

"A: I'm a pirate. B: It is the biggest treasure any man could ever hope to find." Jack reasoned.

"C: You're sick!" Elizabeth added.

"Now, now, now, love. Let's not jump to any conclusions before we carefully consider all the facts. By the time we catch Ripper and his ship, they will be close to if not at the treasure's location. They will discover once they get there, I hope, that they cannot get a brass farthing without all three children. They will also, I imagine, be expecting us since our little stowaway over there has that same heroic streak as another certain someone I know." Jack reasoned gesturing over at Will.

"So since we're going to be right there anyway…" Jack insinuated as he hopefully raised his eyebrows. Will and Elizabeth looked at each other for a moment. Will then looked back at Jack.

"Alright Sparrow, we'll play this one by ear. But if there is any possibility that we will not get these children back together, no treasure." Will said.

"Sound like a plan, doesn't it?" Jack said. "I suggest you get your things packed up. This may very well be a rough trip."


	16. For What It's Worth

They set sail that next morning just as Jack had promised. The entire crew welcomed back Karen as well as Will and Elizabeth. Yet, Karen was still unhappy. She had one thing off of her plate and yet the bulk of her meal remained. How on earth was she going to get Josh and Tony back now? She seriously doubted that the pirates would be that willing to help her once that treasure was upon them. That was unless the prophecy was true and the pirates needed the three of them to get to the thing. For the time being she could only hope that this would be the case.

She carried on the next few days in something of a semi-conscious state. She did her work about the ship and spoke to the pirates trying to mask the way she was feeling on the inside which was utterly empty and frightened. All she thought about anymore was them. She felt as if all there was left now was a race against time. If Josh and Tony's treatment aboard the Black Maiden hadn't improved, Karen knew they'd not last long. Sometimes she'd find herself just staring at the horizon hoping that she'd see the black sails she had seen so often in her dreams. One day as she did this Jack came up behind her.

"Has the horizon changed at all in the last two hours?" Jack joked, trying to cheer her up. Karen cracked a small smile before shaking her head and gazing again off the bow of the Pearl.

"I'm so worried about them, Jack." She said.

"Aye, so am I, Love." Jack sighed. Karen looked over at him critically.

"Are you worried for their sake or yours?" she asked.

"Little bit of both…mostly theirs though, love…promise." He answered.

"We've got to find them fast, Jack." She said.

"I know that, darling. But, if I know Ripper, and I do, he'll go straight for that treasure whether he has all three of you or not. Two is better that none after all. We should be able to find him there and "there" is only another day off. We'll get them back, Love." Jack said, patting Karen on the shoulder and walking away.

"Can I get your word on that?" Karen asked. He turned.

"How much more confidence would you have if I said 'yes'?" Jack joked. Karen smiled.

"Point taken." She said turning back to the bow. Jack stood there for a moment.

"For whatever it's worth…yes." Jack said after a beat.

"Thank you, Jack." Karen said with a smile. For some strange reason this did set her mind not at ease, but at least closer to it. She could only hope that the value of Jack's word had increased some.

The next day at about the same time, Karen heard the call that she had been waiting for for what seemed like an eternity.

"SHIP HO! THE BLACK MAIDEN!" shouted the man from the crow's nest. Karen flew to the deck along with the rest of the crew. The all saw that the Maiden was turned facing them. Ripper was waiting for them. Karen drew her sword. The Pearl neared the Maiden at a near painful slowness. Finally, the ships were level and the two ships rails were no more that a yard apart. With a great yell, the pirates along with Karen leapt the gap and were upon Ripper's crew. Rifle smoke and screams filled the air as the two crews clashed. Karen had already shish-kabobbed two pirates when suddenly she backed into something she whirled around and crossed blades with Jack. Both, realizing the mistake, released their cross quickly.

"Karen, go find Josh and Tony! We can handle things out here!" Jack shouted above the cacophony of battle. Karen nodded and was off like a shot. She rushed into the brig where she had seen Josh and Tony only days before. She was relieved to see both boys spring to the front of the cell. Ripper must have fed them to keep them alive. However, she was confused when she saw that both seemed to have their hands tied behind their back and they were also gagged. It seemed that they were frantically trying to tell her something, but she couldn't make it out. She ran to the cell as Josh stuck his face as far out as it would go.

"Josh, what is it?" Karen asked, as she removed the gag.

"Look out, it's a trap!" Josh quickly said. She whipped her head around just in time to see a giant of a man charging her sword drawn followed by two more slightly smaller yet still behemoth men. She knocked the first stab of the giant away. But the momentum of the great brute could not now be slowed. He used this to his advantage stretching forward his gargantuan paw hitting Karen squarely on the collarbone and slamming her against the bars of the cell. The enormous force of the blow caused Karen to drop her sword. Her empty hands shot now to the man's thick arm which, she was sure, could press her through the bars like the play-doh fun factory. The man's hand rose to Karen throat and before she could even react, her feet were no longer on the ground. The colossal man grinned at the weak, wriggling thing he held in his grasp. Karen pounded at the man's wrist and dug her thumbs into every spot she could get at as she struggled for each breath. Josh and Tony looked on helplessly. Karen could feel her strength fading and knew that she had to do something fast if she was to live. With one quick and impulsive moment she lifted one of her feet and jabbed at the man's face. Much to her relief the kick hit its mark and the man released her and stumbled backwards. Karen fell to the ground with a dense thud as she gasped and coughed as air met her sore windpipe. She only stayed in this position though for a second as the two smaller men rushed her from either side. The man on her left slashed downward at her. She blocked this blow and forced it back skyward. With her next motion she ran the second man through as he charged her. She jerked her sword out of him and stabbed backward at the first smaller man who now charged her from behind. He froze as her blade went through him. He dropped to the floor, dead after only a moment. The original humungous man who had lost track of his sword charged Karen unarmed ready to rip her in half. Karen dropped to her knees and pushed off the bars of the cell which sent her sliding right between the man's legs. She popped to her feet and stabbed him in the back. He crumpled to the ground. Karen ran to the door of the cell and pulled out her pistol.

"Get back." She ordered her friends. They did so and she blasted the lock right off the door. She cut their ropes and they pulled out their gags. The three embraced for a moment before the firing of a cannon outside reminded them that this was no time celebrate. Karen handed her pistol to Tony. They ran back out onto the deck and started hacking their way through a seemingly endless horde of enemy pirates. Josh had found a sword and was fighting right beside Tony to cover him from melee attacks. Karen had found her way onto the upper deck and was fighting there. She stuck one man clean through the ribs right above the stairs and kicked him backward down them. She then jabbed a sword at one man on the deck.

"RIPPER!!!" she shouted above the roar of battle. His attention snapped over to her. She grabbed a rigging rope and swung down onto the main deck.

"YOU'RE MINE!!!" she shouted again. Ripper made his way over to Karen and elegantly extended his sword as if this were a fencing match. Karen, filled with fury, slashed at the sword and knocked it away before advancing on him with rage in her eyes. It seemed for a while he only blocked her attacks, but before long it seemed they evened out. They parted for a moment and circled each other. The fighting around them was growing scarce.

"Fool girl!" he taunted. "You squandered your energy and I have not! You cannot win now!"

She glared at him before charging again. Ripper twisted his sword as she hit it causing her sword to go flying into the air and into Ripper's off hand. He extended his sword and held the blade no more that six inches from her throat. She backed up until she was at the rail of the ship and could back no more.

"Key or no, this will be worth it!" Ripper growled, as he drew back his sword. All of a sudden, Karen saw Tony and he made eyes contact. He launched the pistol towards them the thing nearly hit Ripper in the back of the head, but flew right over his shoulder into Karen's waiting hand. She fired the thing the instant she was able. Ripper looked shocked for a moment as he staggered backward. He then shot Karen a final glare.

"Pirate." He accused, before falling to his back. Karen hadn't even realized it, but as Ripper fell, it was the last of his crew as well. The battle was over. Karen dropped the gun exhaustedly to her side and had a look of numbness all over her face. The gun smoke cleared as she leaned back against the railing of the ship. She seemed to stare at a spot on the ground about five feet from her. She couldn't believe that it was all finally over. Josh walked over to her and spoke gently.

"Karen." He said, in a tone barely above a whisper. She didn't respond.

"Karen." He repeated only slightly more forcefully. She glanced up at him.

"A-Are we…" she began. Josh smiled and nodded.

"We're here." He said, as he gestured at the giant stone gates covered with Aztec markings. She threw her arms around him and held him tighter than she ever had. As the two embraced and the crew celebrated, no one noticed the man with the scar slowly rise to his feet and collect his sword. The man glared at the two for only a moment. One had taken from him a limb, and the other had taken away his dignity. Soon he would collect one of those things back. He ran up behind the two and drew his sword back for the last blow that would snare them both. Karen opened her eyes at the last second and saw Ripper approach over Josh's shoulder. Her eyes widened. She grabbed Josh's shoulders and yanked them off to the side. Josh, unprepared for the jerk, stumbled off to Karen's left. By the time he regained his footing and turned around it was too late.

Karen had only cried out the instant the blade entered her body. Now all that was left was shock. She stood there eyes wide, brow furrowed, and jaw agape. She looked almost confused by what had just happened. She looked from her wound up to Ripper. He glared down at her with an evil grin on his lips. She could feel the red death begin to wet her shirt and jeans and as the wind blew it chilled her. She turned her head and looked at Josh who seemed paralyzed. He noticed a tear roll down her cheek as she began to tremble. Josh couldn't move. He wanted to more than anything in the world. He wanted so badly to go help Karen, but he couldn't bring his legs to move. He noticed Ripper look over at him as well. His grin widened to a full smile as he watched Josh struggle to comprehend. Ripper twisted the sword causing Karen to cry out. She dropped to her knees, in too much pain to remain on her feet one second more. Rage filled Josh now. He could move.

"NOOOOOO!!!" he screamed as he drew his sword and charged Ripper. At that moment although he would never have admitted it, Ripper was more afraid than he had ever been in his life. He immediately regretted tempting this boy. Josh swung his blade down with more fury than a thousand angry seas. Ripper was only barely able to block. Josh then swiped sideways at Ripper. He tried to block, but as Josh's blow hit his sword, the upper part of the blade was sliced right off. Ripper's eyes were wide. Josh screamed and prepared to finish the job with one more mighty slash. Ripper closed his eyes. After a moment, he was surprised to have felt nothing. He opened his eyes and saw Josh standing over him, sword not an inch from his neck.

"Get off my ship!" Josh growled.

"But th-this is m-my…" Ripper started.

"Not anymore. Take a dive before I take your head!" Josh said. He turned his back thinking that Ripper would follow his order. Revenge is not how Karen would want to be remembered. Ripper stood up and grabbed a spare sword.

"I'll not run from you again, boy." He said, coldly.

"I don't care anymore, Ripper." Josh said, trying to convince himself of this fact.

"Then I'll kill ye, lad. Ye know I will." Ripper threatened.

"Go ahead." Josh said, genuinely not caring if Ripper did run him through at this point. He began to walk toward Karen. Ripper only stood there for a moment. He knew that Josh meant what he said. There was no challenge in killing him this way. No satisfaction. He didn't even care if he himself was to be the one with a blade through his chest. One of them had to come out on top and for that, there had to be a fight.

"Do you remember those few days when Karen was taken from you on my ship?" Ripper started. Josh stopped in his tracks. He said nothing.

"I will give her credit. She held out longer than most of my men would. But, I knew she'd break. Oh, those first few tears were truly satisfying. After that everything came out. All the anger and frustration. She fought back fiercely for a while, ye know. Nearly got away. The men were furious. When they caught her, I had to stop them from killing her. They did come close. Anyway, she didn't fight after that. Well…_couldn't_, I suppose." Ripper prodded. Josh still did not turn around. He glanced over at Karen.

"Shut up." He said trying to compose himself.

"I was told that when they were finished with her, all she did was whimper your name. But, ye weren't there to help her. I think she always secretly hoped ye would burst in the door like some kind of knight in shining armor, eh? But, ye never did." Ripper goaded.

"I said 'shut up'!" Josh said turning around now, rage dripping from each word.

"She begged us to stop for the longest time. She even pleaded when she knew it was hopeless. She told us that she didn't know where the treasure was about a hundred times and I believed her. But ye know what? I ordered the men to keep going…just so I could hear her scream." Ripper finished knowing this would be the final straw. And indeed it was.

"YOU BASTARD!" Josh screamed as he charged Ripper. Ripper knocked Josh's initial stab away. Josh then slashed downwards at his shoulder which he also blocked. They held their swords there, both straining to gain the advantage. Suddenly, Ripper's eyes went wide. He glanced down at the knife Josh had pulled out of nowhere and rammed into his stomach. He looked into Josh's eyes. Full of conviction. Ripper smiled slightly.

"You _are_ a pirate." He said. He then fell backward on the deck with a hollow thud.

Josh dropped the sword and knife and ran to Karen. He dropped to his knees and lifted her head into his lap. Her eyes gazed blankly at nowhere. He pawed at her face, frantically.

"Karen, KAREN! Come on. Come on!" he said, beginning to shout. The crew gathered around and looked on, each black heart breaking.

"You don't have to yell, Josh. I'm not deaf." She said in a sickly whisper. She was gasping short, pained breaths in a last desperate attempt to get enough air. She clutched the wound which had spilled the pool of blood that was all around her now. Her hands and shirt were covered in blood and Josh found himself pressing his own hands against the wound, futilely trying to keep it from bleeding any more. She was shaking uncontrollably now and the tiny amount of strength she had left was fading fast. She coughed slightly; eyes squeezed shut tight due to the blinding pain caused by even this pitiful motion.

"Karen, I'm-I'm gonna g-go get Gibbs, I'll be…" Josh started.

"Josh, no." Karen said, sadly.

"Why?" Josh asked, tears forming in his eyes.

"It's no use." She said, tears matching Josh's. She gasped as a new wave of pain seemed to overtake her. She squeezed her eyes shut tight for a moment and clenched her teeth. Out of pure instinct Josh held on to her hand and let her squeeze his tightly. As soon as he did this, the pain seemed to cease and Karen's body relaxed. She opened her eyes and looked up at the best friend she had ever known. She knew that their time was almost up. She would have to leave him soon. She didn't want to. She wasn't ready. So much had been left unsaid. Tears streamed across her temples and onto Josh's knees.

"Josh, I'm…sorry." She said, needing to gasp in the middle of the sentence. Josh's brow furrowed.

"What are you talking about, Karen? I'm the one who should be sorry." He said.

"N-no…not about that. There's…something I n-never tol-…told you. It's my own fault…you nev…never knew." She said, seeming to need to stop and breathe more and more frequently.

"Knew what, Kar?" Josh asked, voice cracking.

"I-I love y…you, Josh. I never…told you bec…cause I was too sc-scared. I was s…so afraid, that you didn't fee…feel the same w-way." She sputtered. Josh let out one single sob as he smiled behind tears.

"I love you, too, Karen. More than anyone in the whole world." He said.

"I know I…I was n-never th-the most lady-like, but…but, Josh, you always made me f-feel like a…like a princess." She said, managing a weak smile. Josh leaned down and hugged her.

"You don't deserve any less, Karen McCleod." He said, closing his eyes. He sat back up. He noticed Karen's eyes were no long looking at anything. She was slipping away.

"Josh, t-tell Tony never to…to stop making people laugh, alright?" she asked, seemingly in a hurry. Josh held her hand tight against his chest and nodded.

"I will. I will." He answered.

"And Josh. I-I…what I w-want from you is, I want you to find…find someone. You deserve so much more. Find…s-someone who'll love you. Find someone…who loves you…as m-much…as much as m…" her last word trailed off. Her eyes slowly closed and the last breath of life left her body. Her body went limp and the grip on Josh's hand loosened completely. Josh only sat there for a moment open-mouthed and staring down at the lifeless body of the woman he loved. Her hair blew slightly in the breeze that was coming off the sea. There was not a sound to be heard. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks. He squeezed his eyes shut tight.

"**KAREN!!!" **he screamed into an empty sky. He then folded over her body and sobbed. He felt as if his world had just been shattered. As if everything good in his life had just been snuffed out. He was thrust into a world of blackness and pain. He had loved her with every ounce of his being and now she was gone and Josh came to a shadowy yet immutable realization…his life no longer had meaning.

* * *

**So it is a dark day in "Another Place and Time". All that remains now is the treasure. That is...if Jack and his crew are even able to get it considering the circumstances. Will he even want it? What will happen to Josh and Tony? Keep checking back for the final chapter of "Another Place and Time".**


	17. Parting Words

Josh sat back and looked at her lay there. He was in complete disbelief. He had been thinking the entire time they had been here that he would just wake up and have this all have been a dream. How he wished he would right now. He looked at her face, it was still smudged with dirt and yet it was the most beautiful thing he had ever known. It was the most pure and wonderful thing he had seen. His eyes drifted to the wound. It seemed to stand in extremely sharp contrast to the rest of her. To look at her face, she was simply asleep. Lost somewhere in a deep and pleasant dream. He had to look away. It was no kind of way for her to have died…to be killed. To spend the last moments of such a bright life in such horrible pain. She deserved better. Suddenly, Karen's body moved. Josh glanced up at Gibbs who was grabbing her arms as Ana-Maria grabbed her feet. Blood dripped as Karen's body left the deck. Seeing this nearly made Josh vomit. Josh didn't move. He barely even had any emotion in his next words as his supply of said commodity had been depleted.

"What are you doing?" Josh asked.

"They be taking her to prepare for the burial, Lad." Jack said from behind him.

"Burial?" Josh asked meekly.

"Burial at sea, son. We'll perform a service for her and everything. She deserved it." Jack explained. Josh turned once again to see Ana and Gibbs carting Karen away almost as if she were a sack of potatoes. He looked over at Tony. He was leaning against the rail of the ship. It did not look like he had been crying, but it didn't look like he had moved a muscle this entire time either. He looked back once more as Gibbs disappeared into a one of the cabins.

"When?" Josh asked.

"Later tonight, lad. We'll anchor over there by the gates. Take it easy for the rest of the day." Jack said.

"Right." Josh said, still numb. Jack began to walk away, but suddenly turned.

"Josh." He said.

"Yeah?" Josh replied.

"I'm very, very sorry." Jack said. Josh though he heard Jack's voice crack, but he couldn't be sure.

A few hours later Tony walked over to Josh who was leaning forward at the bow looking at the giant gates. Tony didn't say a word, but leaned right next to Josh. Josh didn't even look at him.

"We were so close, Tony." Josh said. Tony didn't reply.

"Goddamn it! She had to be the hero! It should have been me…God. It should have been me." Josh said.

"Come on, Josh. You know how she is…was. She loved you with everything she had. She would have done anything for you and if you had been in her shoes you would have done anything for her. It's just…the way things happen sometimes, you know?" Tony said.

"She was so…alive, Tony. She looked forward to every single day. She was so good and right. I am nowhere near what she was. If there is a God, Tony, why did He take her?" Josh asked.

"Sometime things just don't make sense, Josh. Why did we ever become friends? Why did we end up here? Not everything has a reason. Some things just...are. If Karen were here, she would say the same thing. She also wouldn't want you to be beating yourself up over it. Karen always wanted to be a hero and she died being a hero. We should be happy for her." Tony said.

"I just miss her so much." Josh said.

"Yeah, man. Me too." Tony said, as a tear ran down his cheek. He put his arm around Josh as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Later that evening Jack brought Josh and Tony to the main deck where the burial was about to take place. Karen had been cleaned up. She was wearing clean clothes. A loose white shirt, new jet black pants and boots. Her hair had been brushed and it looked softer than it ever had. Her arms were across her chest and below them on her stomach was a three cornered hat. She looked like a pirate. Josh knew that under the circumstances, that's how she would have wanted it. She was on a stretcher that was propped up between and old rum barrel and the rail of the ship. All the pirates had gathered, their somber faces lit by torches. Ana-Maria, Gibbs, and Jack all stood apart from the men and closer to Karen.

"Do you have any parting words, lads?" Jack asked. Tony couldn't bring himself to speak about her knowing that whatever fables he told would be at the end of her book of life. Josh stepped forward.

"Karen was…" Josh stopped. He hated using the word "was" about her. He never thought this would come let alone so soon. He began again.

"Karen was the best friend I ever had. I was always the one to tell her that she needed to take more chances. But, I was the one who wouldn't take the chance. I loved her. I loved her so much." He stopped a moment getting choked up.

"And I never told her. But, you know what? I don't think it mattered to her. She loved so much that she didn't need anything in return. She loved for its own sake and that's a rare thing in this world. I just think that if the world could try to be a little bit more like she was, it would be a better place to live in." he said, placing his hand on hers. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Karen. I love you." He whispered. He stood up and motioned for Tony to come over. He did.

"One more time?" Josh asked. Placing his hand slightly above Karen's as a team would break after a timeout.

"Dream Team forever." Tony said, putting his hand atop Josh's after a beat.

"Forever." Josh repeated as he lowered his hand meeting the top of Karen's.

Suddenly, night was day as a beam of the purest white light any of them had ever seen shot from the top of their three hands forty feet into the air where it stopped and jetted towards the Incan marking covered gates. The beam struck the largest sun shaped symbol at the top of the arch. The beam then ceased to be and the sun shone brightly putting the torches on the ship to shame. It was so bright, the pirates could barely see. Then a booming voice.

"Welcome…oh. Pirates I see. If you possess the keys it is of no consequence." The voice thundered. It seemed to be coming from all around them.

"Are you the keeper of the Incan Treasure?" Josh asked into the sky.

"That I am. For hundreds of years I have guarded the treasure and now you have come to end my duty and claim it for your own. So son, what is it that you desire most? Is it the mountains of gold behind these gates you crave?" the voice rumbled. Josh looked over at his lifeless friend. He shrugged his shoulders

"No it's not." Josh said, simply. There was a pause.

"Oh no? What is it you want then, boy?" the voice asked sounding puzzled. Josh shook his head.

"All I want is my friend back." Josh said. There was another pause.

"I see. You have made a choice that I have rarely seen from a pirate, boy. It is a good one. Here is the riches that you have sought." the voice said. Suddenly a beam of blue light shot down from the sky and hit Karen's chest causing a slight jolt of her body. A shockwave blasted all the pirates causing them to fall away from the light. They all had to look away from the blinding light. After a few seconds the light faded and the pirates slowly opened their eyes to find that night had befallen them once again. Josh slowly stood up and walked over to Karen. He took one of her hands in his and held it to his chest. He brushed her hair away from her face as he knelt beside her.

"Karen?" he said so softly, no one else could hear him. Suddenly her hand moved slightly, then squeezed.

"Josh?" she asked, meekly.

"Karen? KAREN?" he said, nearly shouting now.

"I'm _still _not deaf, Josh." She squeaked. Her eyes had not even opened yet, but a smile graced her lips. Josh laughed with tears streaming down his face. Tony stood back, but even as he did he had tears streaming down his face as well and he held his fists in the air like Rocky and they didn't seem to want to come down. Josh hugged her as best as he could as she lay there. The second the hug was through she sat up and was instantly surrounded by the crew who hugged her and patted her on the back.

"It's good to have ye back, love." Jack said trying to remain stoic about the whole situation. She smiled.

"Likewise." She said. He walked over to her nonchalantly and just stood there fro a moment. She looked up at him. Suddenly, he threw his arms around her and held her as if she were his own daughter. She hugged him back feeling honored that he was showing the emotion to his crew…because of her. Abruptly, the hug stopped and he pulled her back. He glanced at her for a moment before rushing to the edge of the ship. He leapt up on the railing and yelled into the sky.

"Wait! WAIT! What about the treasure?!" he yelled, panicked.

"This is treasure, Jack." Said Will stepping forward. Sparrow turned.

"Can't you see that they love each other?" Elizabeth asked. Jack hopped down from the railing. He looked over at Josh and Karen who had found their way into each other's arms again. He looked back over at Will and Elizabeth. Josh and Karen had exactly what they had. They were right. Something like that was worth more than gold. He straightened his coat and hat and swaggered away from the railing.

"I suppose that treasure wasn't that big anyway." He said, putting the mask on once again. The pirates celebrated and cheered as they never had before. Josh and Karen hugged. They pulled back.

"I think it is just about time we headed home." Josh said.

"Sounds great, but you have a plan for it?" Karen asked.

"I believe, I might be of some assistance." Came a voice from the rowdy crowd of crewmen. The cheers died down and an old crewman came forward. He walked with a cane and looked older than anyone on the entire crew. He wore a strip of cloth over his eyes obviously hiding the paleness of blind eyes. None of the three friends had ever noticed him before.

"Who are you?" Tony asked. The old man smiled.

"You don't know?" he said, nearly on the verge of laughing. The friends racked their brains for only a few seconds before their eyes widened with realization. The old man did laugh now.

"You…you were the one who…" Karen began.

"Indeed I am, lass. Rifkin be my name, now that we are acquainted." He chuckled. As the three of them stood there after the most harrowing journey of their lives, they felt no hate towards the old man. They knew that they should, but they did not.

"Y-you lured into through this whole thing." said Josh, trying to show anger that was not there. The man only smiled wider.

"Did I?" he asked. The friends averted their eyes.

"You came here, if I am not mistaken, because you were all in search of something. Well, have you found it?" he asked. They all looked at each other. They had found what they had been looking for. Karen was right all those weeks ago when she had said that they were all meant for something more and that they were all there for a reason. They were there for each other. Each of them was indeed part of something bigger than themselves. They had found what they were looking for. Tony had found confidence and knowledge that it is okay to not always be the joker. Karen had found the adventure that she had always longed for. As for Josh, well…Josh had found her…he had found love. And they all found, or rather re-found two best friends. They all smiled.

"I think we have." Karen said.

"Aye, it would appear so." Rifkin said. "Well, then I suppose that means ye might be ready to leave this old story for a while, eh?"

"In just a minute if you don't mind." Josh piped up. "We, uh, have some friends to say goodbye to."

They walked into the crowd of crew and tried to say as many goodbyes as they could. When they were finished, they walked over to Jack, Ana-Maria, and Gibbs. Tony pulled the pistol out of its holster and handed it to Gibbs.

"I don't need this where we're going. Thank you for taking care of me." Tony said. Gibbs took the pistol and wrapped Tony in a bone-cracking embrace.

"The pleasure was mine, lad." Gibbs said tearfully. As Ana-Maria was sharing some parting words with Karen, Josh spoke to Jack. Josh shook his hand.

"Thank you for everything, Jack. Looks like you might turn into a good man yet." Josh said.

"Well, I may not ever be good…but, I might be "alright". So, will you take the advice of an alright man?" Jack asked.

"Depends on the advice." Josh said. Jack smiled and pointed over at Karen.

"Don't let that one get away." Jack said.

"I think that's good advice. Thank you." Josh said, as he turned and walked away.

"Josh, one more thing…" Jack called. Josh turned.

"Keep her away from the rum." Jack said with a suggestive look. Josh laughed.

"Will do." He said. Karen walked over to Jack once more.

"So what will you do now?" she asked.

"Well, I had planned on retirement, but without that mountain of gold, I suppose I'll just get back to doing what I do best." He said. Karen smile.

"Well, what would the world be without Jack Sparrow?" Karen asked.

"Boring." Jack replied. Karen laughed.

"Yes, it would." She said. She hugged him quickly.

"Thank you, Jack." She said.

"Thank you, love." He replied, in nearly a whisper. She turned and walked away. All their goodbyes having been said, they spoke to Rifkin.

"We're ready, Rifkin." Karen said.

"Very well. One last word, friends of three. Never forget the lessons you learned here. Never. Or one day, in some unexpected place, you may find an unassuming note that will arouse your curiosity and lead you into actions which are…what was it…'How frickin' horror movies start'." The old man said. With that he raised his arms into the air seeming to summon an eerie wind. From nowhere, a portal of white opened before them. They slowly approached it.

"You go first." Josh said to Tony. Tony stretched a hand out towards the portal and felt nothing. It was as if nothing was there. He took a step back, took a deep breath and ran into the white ring. Josh was next. Now Karen was all that was left. She turned one last time and looked at the crew.

"Karen." Jack said. She looked.

"Wouldn't want to forget this." He said, tossing something into the air towards her. She caught it. It was the sword, the very sword with which she had bested Captain Jack himself. She smiled as she looked at it. She nodded at the crew and walked slowly into the portal.

"Hey you guys, WAKE UP!" said someone from above them. They all slowly opened their eyes to see a young man in a tank top and athletic shorts standing above them.

"He-Hey there we go! Good morning…or I guess it's evening!" he said. The friends all looked at him confused.

"You guys have fun last night?" he asked. Karen was quick on the uptake.

"Do you have to ask?" she said, trying to sound groggy. The guy laughed.

"I guess not. But, hey get out on deck soon, alright. Captain's orders." He said jokingly as he walked out of the bunkroom. Karen rolled onto her side in her hammock. Josh and Tony hopped out of bed.

"We'd, uh…better get out there, huh?" Josh said, trying to get Karen out of bed.

"Oh, uh…yeah, yeah we should. Wouldn't wanna keep the Captain waiting, right?" she replied. She rolled out of the hammock and as she did so there was a metallic clang on the floor. The friends froze and turned around. Karen's blanket lay on the floor. She reached down and lifted it off to see what she was sure had just been a dream. The blade seemed to draw the friends to it. They all just crouched there looking at it. Karen reached out finally and touched it. The instant her fingers grazed the hilt her hand shot back. It was real. Tony was the first to speak.

"Is that..?" he began.

"Yeah." Karen replied.

"Did he...?" Josh started.

"Yeah." Karen returned.

"And you...?" Tony asked.

"Yeah." Karen said. "So we all..?"

"Yeah." Both boys said. They all just said there for a moment before Karen spoke again.

"Was it real?" she asked. They all looked for the cuts and bruises which were no longer there, still that sword seemed to slap them in the face.

"Does it matter?" Josh asked. They all looked at each other and smiled.

"I guess not." Karen replied.

"Agreed." Tony said. They put their hands in as a team after a timeout.

"Dream Team forever." Josh said.

"Forever." Tony replied.

"Forever." Karen added. Tony shook his head as if snapping himself out of some trance.

"Well, I am going for a little of the hair of the dog that bit me." He said as he left the bunkroom. Josh and Karen looked at each other. They embraced and held each other tightly.

"No more wasted time, Karen. Ever again." Josh said.

"Never." She replied. They walked out onto the deck of the _Gypsy's Treasure_ and looked across the ocean at the sunset.

"So Karen, what lessons have you learned on our journey?" Josh joked.

"Take what you can, give nothing back." Karen retorted. Josh shook his head and chuckled.

"You pirate." He said. Karen looked into his eyes and smiled.

"Takes one to know one." She said. He nodded as if accepting this and smiled back as they grew closer and closer…

"Yo-ho, Yo-ho." He said. Their lips met as the sun dipped below the horizon.

**THE END

* * *

Thank you all for reading "Another Place and Time". I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Remember: Take all you can, give nothing back. Much Love.**

pirate88 


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